title: Ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for rapid analysis of trace organic contaminants in water.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The widespread utilization of organic compounds in modern society and their dispersion through wastewater have resulted in extensive contamination of source and drinking waters. The vast majority of these compounds are not regulated in wastewater outfalls or in drinking water while trace amounts of certain compounds can impact aquatic wildlife. Hence it is prudent to monitor these contaminants in water sources until sufficient toxicological data relevant to humans becomes available. A method was developed for the analysis of 36 trace organic contaminants (TOrCs) including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, steroid hormones (androgens, progestins, and glucocorticoids), personal care products and polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) using a single solid phase extraction (SPE) technique with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The method was applied to a variety of water matrices to demonstrate method performance and reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UHPLC-MS/MS in both positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) modes was employed to achieve optimum sensitivity while reducing sample analysis time (<20 min) compared with previously published methods. The detection limits for most compounds was lower than 1.0 picogram on the column while reporting limits in water ranged from 0.1 to 15 ng/L based on the extraction of a 1 L sample and concentration to 1 mL. Recoveries in ultrapure water for most compounds were between 90-110%, while recoveries in surface water and wastewater were in the range of 39-121% and 38-141% respectively. The analytical method was successfully applied to analyze samples across several different water matrices including wastewater, groundwater, surface water and drinking water at different stages of the treatment. Among several compounds detected in wastewater, sucralose and TCPP showed the highest concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed method is sensitive, rapid and robust; hence it can be used to analyze a large variety of trace organic compounds in different water matrixes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Harshbarger 108, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0011, USA.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anumol
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Harshbarger 108, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0011, USA.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merel
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Harshbarger 108, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0011, USA ; School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, 100 LaTrobe St, Melbourne, 3000, Australia.
authors.forename: Bradley O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Harshbarger 108, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0011, USA.
authors.forename: Shane A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Snyder
keywords: Glucocorticoid; PFC; Personal-care product; Pharmaceutical; Solid-phase extraction; Tandem mass spectrometry; Trace organic contaminant; Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography; Water quality