Online molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of hormones in water and sediment samples

Abstract

The molecularly imprinted SPE directly coupled to RP LC-MS/MS method has been developed and successfully validated for the determination of six hormones in water and sediment samples. The method is based on the use the home-made column filled with a molecularly imprinted sorbent (imprinted against estrogens) that was used under nonaqueous conditions. Thus, its high selectivity could be utilized resulting in low matrix components' coextraction. The method showed excellent recovery (92-105%) and satisfactory sensitivity (LOQs water: 1.9-4.0 ng/L; LOQs sediment: 0.2-0.5 ng/g). The intra- and interprecision for water and sediment was in the range of 4.0-6.0% and 4.4-7.6%, respectively. Finally, 20 water and sediment samples collected from the Svratka river were analyzed. Only estrone was quantified in eight water samples (4.4-7.1 ng/L); no analytes were found in sediment samples.