title: Pharmaceutical trace analysis in aqueous environmental matrices by liquid chromatography-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: An analytical method based on solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with an ion trap analyser was developed and validated for the quantification of a series of pharmaceutical compounds with distinct physical-chemical characteristics in estuarine water samples. Method detection limits were between 0.03 and 16.4 ng/L. The sensitivity and the accuracy obtained associated with the inherent confirmatory potential of ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (IT-MS/MS) validates its success as an environmental analysis tool. Two MS/MS transitions were used to confirm compound identity. Almost all pharmaceuticals were detected at ng/L level in at least one sampling site of the Douro River estuary, Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Research Center of the Superior Institute Health Sciences-North, Gandra, Paredes, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tânia Vieira
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Madureira
authors.forename: Juliana Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barreiro
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Quezia Bezerra
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.forename: Maria Elizabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tiritan
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical