Abstract
The stability of analytes is a critical point in chemical analysis, especially in the field of trace levels residue analysis. Nowadays, due to advances in analytical technology and in separation sciences, the analyses of water have been improved. Unfortunately, in this context, one of the most critical issues in water analysis include compound stability from sampling station to laboratory procedures. This study was carried out to explore the stability of several compounds in water from sampling to analysis concerning analytes reported in implementing decision 2018/840—Watch List. During method development and validation, the stability of compounds was investigated to detect the best operating conditions concerning sampling, extraction and analysis. In this paper, we report a study on the stability of antibiotics, pesticides and drugs in water determined using a straight-forward procedure applying mass spectrometric detection for analytical purposes. The laboratory tests were performed in Milli-Q water and surface water by analyzing samples through direct injection, solvent mixture (Water/ACN) and solid phase extraction system from time 0 to 168 h. All the analytes of the WL are stable in aqueous solutions with the addition of at least 25% ACN even after 168 h, and the analytes have shown a matrix effect on recovery of some analytes such as Famoxadone from sampling results (recovery in surface water 72%). For all the analytes investigated, recoveries were between 70 and 130% by using SPE procedures before UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, which is in good agreement with method validation procedures.
Highlights
The growth of industrialization and excessive utilization of available resources by humans have resulted in the emergence of water pollution as one of the global environmental issues
We report a study on the stability of antibiotics, pesticides and drugs in water determined using a straightforward procedure by applying mass spectrometric determination for analytical purposes
In order to investigate the chemical stability of the analyte, three different systems were spiked with an analyte mixture at a concentration of 100 ng L−1 and analyzed
Summary
The growth of industrialization and excessive utilization of available resources by humans have resulted in the emergence of water pollution as one of the global environmental issues. In the last years, traces of several pollutants, typically at levels of nanograms per litre, were found in environmental matrices such as water, soil and sediments [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The first WL, published by Decision (EU) 2015/495, included several substances, such as sunscreens, drugs, hormones, neonicotinoids, pesticides and antibiotics [7,8], and subsequent revisions have updated the list of substances to be monitored. Watch List made its appearance (Decision 2018/840) [9], and the third updated version of the EU Watch List was published in August 2020 (EU) 2020/1161 [10]. Outlined in the Watch List directive, member states must analyze surface water in order to identify and quantify several pollutants. Due to advances in analytical technology and in separation sciences, water analyses have been improved [11,12]
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