Continuous solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of pharmaceuticals and hormones in water samples

Abstract

A semi-automatic flow-based method for the simultaneous determination of 9 pharmaceuticals and 3 hormones in water samples in a single analytical run is proposed. The analytes were retained on a solid-phase extraction sorbent column and 1 microL of the eluate analysed by gas chromatography in combination with electron impact ionization mass spectrometry in the SIM mode. The sorbent used, Oasis-HLB, provided near-quantitative recovery of all analytes. The proposed method was validated with quite good analytical results including low limits of detection (0.01-0.06 ng L(-1) for 100 mL of water) and good linearity (r2>0.993) throughout the studied concentration ranges. The method provided good accuracy (recoveries of 85-103%) and precision (between- and within-day RSD values less than 7%) in the determination of the pharmaceuticals and hormones in tap, river, pond, well, swimming pool and wastewater.