The triple-sorbents solid-phase extraction for pharmaceuticals and estrogens determination in wastewater samples

Abstract In the presented study, the applicability of four sorbent materials (active carbon, neutral alumina, Primary and Secondary Amines (PSA), and Florosil) applied on top of a polymeric Strata-X column was tested to improve the solid-phase extraction of 15 analytes (pharmaceuticals and estrogens) from water. Deionized water and water fortified by humic acids (representatives of dissolved organic matter) were the tested matrices. The effect of water acidification was tested as well. The values of recovery show that sorbents often have different sorption features towards pharmaceuticals with acidic and basic functional groups. PSA shows sorption towards humic acids, thereby can minimize the matrix effect obtained during final quantification by chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry. The slight sorption of basic pharmaceuticals to humic acids was found out. Finally, a mixture of PSA and alumina was used, and the validated SPE-GC/MS(SIM) method was applied for raw and treated wastewater. A triple-sorbent solid-phase extraction cause lower matrix effect compared to the previous study. This small innovation in the SPE procedure (without any significant cost enhancement and extension of the duration) can have an impact on the quantification of the pharmaceuticals and estrogens, and improve the reliability of the results.