Simultaneous enantiomeric analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in environment by chiral LC-MS/MS: A pilot study in Beijing, China

A simple, sensitive and quick method for direct simultaneous chiral analysis of frequently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ibuprofen, naproxen and flurbiprofen) in river water by HPLC-MS/MS was established and validated. Chromatographic parameters including the mobile phase composition, pH values, temperature and flow rates were optimized to obtain both satisfactory sensitivity and enantiomeric resolution (Rs >= 1.0), which suggested the composition and pH values of mobile phase played crucial influence on enantioseparations. The method demonstrated its superiority compared with previous studies regarding to the low MQLs (1.1-37.1 ng/L) and short runtime (< 20 min), enabling quantitative enantiomeric determination of trace level of emerging contaminants in water. The environmental monitoring of receiving water (34 sites along rivers) in Beijing revealed ibuprofen was the most abundant, with mean concentration of 114.9 ng/L and detection frequency of 91%, naproxen was also detectable at all sites from < MQL-43.2 ng/L, both presenting an excess of the S-(+)-enantiomer. Therefore to better understand the ecological risk posed from the trace organic contaminants on the aquatic organisms, chiral pollutants need analyzed at the enantiomeric levels. This is the first to profile the enantiospecific occurrence of NSAIDs in surface water in Beijing, China. It could provide useful information on environmental behaviors of chiral pollutants and facilitate more accurate environmental risk assessment.