Determination of basic antidepressants and their N-desmethyl metabolites in raw sewage and wastewater using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
A novel analytical method has been developed for the determination of six basic antidepressants (venlafaxine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, amitriptyline, and fluoxetine) and four of their metabolites (O-desmethylvenlafaxine, desmethylsertraline, nortriptyline, and norfluoxetine) in raw sewage and roughly primary-treated wastewater. For analytical development purposes, two ion exchange solid-phase extraction cartridges were compared. Extracts were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with positive-mode electrospray (+ESI) and selected reaction monitoring transitions. The choice of a basic mobile phase significantly improved the instrumental sensitivity (by up to 14-fold for norfluoxetine) relative to common +ESI acidic mobile phases. In addition to the remarkable gain in sensitivity, negligible matrix effects were also observed in the raw sewage samples. Analyte recoveries ranged from 80 to 103% and effluent detection limits from 0.048 to 0.10 ng/L. Samples collected at the Montreal Wastewater Treatment Plant showed the unequivocal presence of all the target compounds at concentrations of 2-346 ng/L. The target antidepressants were also detected in samples taken from the effluent receiving waters (i.e., the St. Lawrence River) but at lower concentrations (0.41-69 ng/L). The highly sensitive proposed method constitutes one of the best means for monitoring the environmental occurrence of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and some of their metabolites.
Lajeunesse
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A
Environment Canada, Fluvial Ecosystem Research, Science and Technology Branch, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 2E7.
Gagnon
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C
Sauvé
S
S
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000032:analysis; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical