title: Application of microwave-assisted extraction and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of sex hormones and corticosteroids in sewage sludge samples.
abstract: Hormonal compounds are a concern to the international community because they can affect the aquatic biota and are therefore considered to be endocrine-disrupting compounds. These compounds have lipophilic properties, so they tend to accumulate in solid matrices, such as sewage sludge. This work presents the optimization of a microwave-assisted extraction process combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of 15 hormonal compounds in sludge samples. The proposed method has relative standard deviations below 23 %, good recoveries (over 71 %) for all compounds, detection limits that ranged from 1.1 to 7.9 ng g(-1) and quantification limits which ranged from 3.7 to 26.3 ng g(-1). The method was used to analyse sludge samples from four different wastewater treatment plants of Gran Canaria (Spain) with different wastewater treatments. 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethynylestradiol, norgestrel and cortisone were detected in sludge samples at concentrations that ranged from 17.3 to 1.44 × 10(3) ng g(-1). The developed method permits the use of small quantities of sample and organic solvents, presents short extractions times and is the first one based on microwave-assisted extraction for the analysis of both sex hormones and corticosteroids.
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors: Rayco
authors: R
authors: Guedes-Alonso
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Santana-Viera
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Montesdeoca-Esponda
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Afonso-Olivares
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors: Zoraida
authors: Z
authors: Sosa-Ferrera
authors: Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. josejuan.santana@ulpgc.es.
authors: José Juan
authors: JJ
authors: Santana-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008872:Microwaves; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Mass spectrometry; Microwave-assisted extraction; Sludge; Steroid hormones; Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography