Screening of Pharmaceutical Pollutants Along with Emerging Contaminants in the Sediments of the Periyar River, Located in Kerala (India) by Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS).

Abstract

In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS) was employed to screen and identify pharmaceutical pollutants and emerging contaminants (ECs) in the Periyar River near Aster Medicity hospital, the dumping yard of Amrutha hospital, and the Vaduthala bridge regions in Kerala, India. The analysis was conducted in both positive and negative ionization modes using electrospray ionization (ESI). The QuEChERS method was employed for initial sediment sample preparation. Among the twenty-five identified ECs, four compounds were identified as pharmaceutical pollutants. This study have great significance as it represents the first comprehensive investigation of pharmaceutical pollutants in these hospital regions, highlighting the urgent need for further analysis and understanding of the situation. The presence of ECs poses an urgent need for attention due to the irreversible harm caused to the riverine ecosystem by the degradation of water quality resulting from industrial and domestic discharge.