Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Surface Water

Significance of the Topic

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are increasingly detected in surface water due to human and agricultural use. Even at trace levels, these compounds can disrupt ecosystems and pose risks to human health. Developing rapid, sensitive analytical methods to monitor PPCP residues is essential for environmental protection and regulatory compliance.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study aimed to establish a fast, robust LC-MS/MS protocol capable of quantifying twenty representative PPCPs at parts-per-trillion levels in surface water. The work evaluated method performance, calibration, and real-world application across various U.S. sampling sites.

Methodology and Instrumentation

An ultra-fast reversed-phase gradient on a Restek Force Biphenyl column (100×2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) achieved chromatographic separation in eight minutes. Key parameters:

• Column temperature: 55 °C
• Injection volume: 1 µL; flow rate: 0.5 mL/min
• Mobile phases: A – 5 mM ammonium formate with 0.1% formic acid in water; B – 0.1% formic acid in methanol
• ESI in simultaneous positive and negative modes
• Shimadzu LCMS-8050 settings: interface 300 °C, DL 250 °C, heat block 400 °C, nebulizing gas 2 L/min, drying/heating gas 10 L/min

Surface water samples were collected under SOP #EH-01 from multiple U.S. regions and analyzed directly after filtration.

Main Results and Discussion

Calibration curves demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99) with limits of quantitation (LOQ) from 0.25 to 5 ng/mL and %RSD ≤ 20% at LOQ. Most analytes exhibited LOQs at or below 0.5 ng/mL. Field samples from Maryland and Texas showed no quantifiable PPCPs. A sample from Arizona contained amphetamine at 0.343 ng/mL, confirming the method’s sensitivity and robustness.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High throughput: eight-minute run time enables large sample batches.
• Ultra-low detection limits suit environmental monitoring and regulatory surveys.
• Wide analyte scope covers antibiotics, hormones, stimulants, and more.
• Minimal sample preparation simplifies workflow and reduces potential losses.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advancements may include expanding analyte libraries, integrating high-resolution mass spectrometry for non-target screening, and developing automated, field-deployable platforms. Data analytics and machine learning could enhance pattern recognition in environmental contamination studies.

Conclusion

A rapid, reliable eight-minute LC-MS/MS method was validated for monitoring PPCPs in surface water at ppt levels. The approach delivers high sensitivity and reproducibility, proving effective for environmental surveillance. Detection of amphetamine in one sample highlights the method’s real-world applicability.

References

• Byrne J., Wang E., Gilles C. “Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Surface Water,” ASMS 2017, TP-182, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, 2017.