Rapid and cost-effective multiresidue analysis of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and antifouling booster biocides in marine sediments using matrix solid phase dispersion

Currently, there are many contaminants of concern that need to be accurately determined to help assess their potential environmental hazard. Despite their increasing interest, yet few environmental occurrence data exist, likely because they are present at low levels and in very complex matrices. Therefore, multiresidue analytical methods for their determination need to be highly sensitive, selective, and robust. Particularly, due to the trace levels of these chemicals in the environment, an extensive extraction procedure is required before determination. This work details the development of a fast and cheap vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion-high performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (VA-MSPD-HPLC-MS/MS) method for multiresidue determination of 59 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and booster biocides, in sediment. The validated method provided high sensitivity (0.42-36.8 ngg(-1) dw quantification limits), wide and good linearity (r(2) > 0.999), satisfactory accuracy (60-140%), and precision below 20% for most target analytes. In comparison with previous methods, relying on traditional techniques, the proposed method demonstrated to be more environmentally friendly, cheaper, simpler, and faster. The method was applied to monitor the occurrence of these compounds in sediments collected in Brazil, using only 2 g dw sediment samples, free-solid support, and 5 mL methanol as extraction solvent. The UV filter avobenzone, the UV stabilizer and antifreeze methylbenzotriazole, the preservative methylparaben, the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprolloxacin, and the biocides irgarol and 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one were determined at concentrations in the range 1.44-69.7 ngg(-1) dw. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study developed a fast and inexpensive method for the multi-residue determination of 59 contaminants of emerging concern in sediment, demonstrating high sensitivity, good linearity, satisfactory accuracy, and precision. The proposed method was found to be more environmentally friendly, cheaper, simpler, and faster compared to traditional techniques.