Determination of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in surface waters by means of chromatographic techniques coupled to mass spectrometry

Abstract

Two analytical methods were developed to study five endocrine disrupting compounds (4-n-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol) in waters. One method includes a fast liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) analysis, while the second comprise a Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) followed by a headspace derivatization and gaschromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Passive samplers POCIS (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers) were used as sampling and preconcentration steps in order to reach the very low levels of the analytes in environmental waters. Both methods were then applied to the determination of the analytes in different water samples.

Keywords

• Endocrine Disrupting Compounds
• chromatography
• mass spectrometry
• stir bar sorptive extraction
• passive sampling