A simple, fast method for the analysis of 20 contaminants of emerging concern in river water using large-volume direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A fast and sensitive method for the determination of a structurally and physico-chemically diverse group of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) based on large-volume direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The method can be used to determine 20 CECs belonging to different pollutant families (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides) in river water at nanogram per liter. A single analytical run is required and the positive and negative ionization modes can be used simultaneously. Because of the large-volume injections of samples and the high sensitivity of the current mass spectrometers, the method has no need of a preconcentration step. The analytes are quantitated with matrix-matched calibration curves. The estimated limits of detection were in the range 0.1-5 ng L-1. The accuracy of the method was in the range 86-114%, and the precision, expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD %), was below 18% for all the analytes (n = 5, at 5, 10, and 25 ng L-1). The method was applied to water samples taken from different points along the lower course of the Ebro River, Spain. A total of 12 out of the 20 target analytes were detected, and the ones at higher concentrations were caffeine and the pharmaceuticals paracetamol and ibuprofen (184.8 ng L-1, 63.3 ng L-1, and 23.3 ng L-1, respectively).