title: Sucralose screening in European surface waters using a solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method.
abstract: An analytical method was developed for the analysis of sucralose, a persistent chlorinated calorie-free sugar substitute, in surface waters. The method is based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) of 400mL water using Oasis HLB (Waters) adsorber material, followed by negative electrospray ionization (ESI) triple quadrupole LC-MS-MS detection. Quantification was performed by external calibration, as well as by isotope dilution with deuterated sucralose d6 internal standard. Extraction with Oasis HLB, a polymeric adsorbent suited for polar compounds, was much more efficient at neutral pH than at pH 3; a recovery of 62+/-9% (n=6; determined at 1microg/L) could be achieved. Strong ion suppression caused by matrix substances was observed for sucralose in the SPE extracts. The analysis of 120 river surface water samples from 27 European countries showed that sucralose, which is in use in Europe since beginning 2005, can be found in the aquatic environment, at concentrations up to 1microg/L. Sucralose was predominately found in samples from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Norway, and Sweden, suggesting an increased use of the substance in Western Europe.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via Enrico Fermi, I-21020 Ispra, Italy. Robert.Loos@jrc.it
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loos
authors.forename: Bernd Manfred
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gawlik
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boettcher
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Locoro
authors.forename: Serafino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bidoglio
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005062:European Union; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D013395:Sucrose; C026285:trichlorosucrose