title: Development of a fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of endocrine-disrupting compounds in waters.
abstract: A fast liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) method was developed to study five endocrine-disrupting compounds (4-n-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol) in water. Different columns were tested; the chromatographic separation of the analytes was optimized on a Pinnacle DB biphenylic column with a water-acetonitrile gradient elution, which allowed the separation of the selected endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in less than 6 min. Quantitative analysis was performed in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode; two transitions were chosen for each compound, using the most abundant for quantitation. Calibration curves using bisphenol A-d (16) as internal standard were drawn, showing good correlation coefficients (0.9993-0.9998). All figures of merit of the method were satisfactory; limits of detection were in the low pg range for all analytes. The method was then applied to the determination of the analytes in real water samples: to this aim, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) were deployed in the influent and in the effluent of a drinking water treatment plant in Liguria (Italy). The EDC level was rather low in the influent and negligible in the outlet, reflecting the expected function of the treatment plant.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Carro
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scapolla
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liscio
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magi
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D057230:Limit of Detection; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water