title: Development and validation of an analytical method for detection of estrogens in water.
abstract: An analytical procedure enabling routine analysis of four environmental estrogens at concentrations below 1 ng L(-1) in estuarine water samples has been developed and validated. The method includes extraction of water samples using solid-phase extraction discs and detection by gas chromatography (GC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) in electron-impact (EI) mode. The targeted estrogens included 17alpha- and 17beta-estradiol (aE2, bE2), estrone (E1), and 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), all known environmental endocrine disruptors. Method performance characteristics, for example trueness, recovery, calibration, precision, accuracy, limit of quantification (LOQ), and the stability of the compounds are presented for each of the selected estrogens. Application of the procedure to water samples from the Scheldt estuary (Belgium - The Netherlands), a polluted estuary with reported incidences of environmental endocrine disruption, revealed that E1 was detected most frequently at concentrations up to 7 ng L(-1). aE2 was detected once only and concentrations of bE2 and EE2 were below the LOQ.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Herlinde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noppe
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Wasch
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poelmans
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Hoof
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Verslycke
authors.forename: Colin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Hubert F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: De Brabander
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical