Detection of Steroids in Tap and Drinking Water Using an Optimized Analytical Method by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can produce effects on the human health or living beings. Hence, it is of high importance to determine their presence in water. This work presents a reliable method for determining 17β-Estradiol (E2) and 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) in tap and drinking water. The analytic method proposed was optimized by spiking ultrapure water samples with a known amount of steroids in terms of solid phase extraction by varying elution solvent volume and analyte mass in the cartridge, the extract concentration by using either distinct temperatures in rotary evaporator or nitrogen gentle stream, and the solvent effect in chemical derivatization with N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide:trimethylchlorosilane (1%). The performance of the analytical method was assessed and applied to real samples; the efficiency of extraction and derivatization procedure ranged from 81 to 100% for E2 (CV 4–19%) and from 82 to 96% for EE2 (CV 4–18%). Limits of detection (quantification) were 1.0 (3.0) ng/L and 3.0 (10.0) ng/L for E2 and EE2, respectively. Analysis of the drinking water samples yielded concentrations ranging from 3.0 to 11.4 ng/L for E2 and from 10.0 to 246 ng/L for EE2. Analyses of steroids in tap water were found below the limit of detection. Consumption of drinking water in the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals could be a risk for the users in the long term and their consumption should be avoided under the principle of prevention.