Trace Analysis of Antidepressant Pharmaceuticals and Their Select Degradates in Aquatic Matrixes by LC/ESI/MS/MS

Melissa M. Schultz† and Edward T. Furlong*
Methods Research and Development Program, National Water Quality Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25046, MS 407, Denver, Colorado 80225
Anal. Chem., 2008, 80 (5), pp 1756–1762
DOI: 10.1021/ac702154e
Publication Date (Web): January 30, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society
†

 Current address:  Department of Chemistry, 943 College Mall, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691.

,
*

 To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone:  (303) 236-3941. Fax:  (303) 236-3499. E-mail:  efurlong@usgs.gov.

Abstract

Treated wastewater effluent is a potential environmental point source for antidepressant pharmaceuticals. A quantitative method was developed for the determination of trace levels of antidepressants in environmental aquatic matrixes using solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Recoveries of parent antidepressants from matrix spiking experiments for the individual antidepressants ranged from 72 to 118% at low concentrations (0.5 ng/L) and 70 to 118% at high concentrations (100 ng/L) for the solid-phase extraction method. Method detection limits for the individual antidepressant compounds ranged from 0.19 to 0.45 ng/L. The method was applied to wastewater effluent and samples collected from a wastewater-dominated stream. Venlafaxine was the predominant antidepressant observed in wastewater and river water samples. Individual antidepressant concentrations found in the wastewater effluent ranged from 3 (duloxetine) to 2190 ng/L (venlafaxine), whereas individual concentrations in the waste-dominated stream ranged from 0.72 (norfluoxetine) to 1310 ng/L (venlafaxine).

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History

  • Published In Issue March 01, 2008
  • Received for review October 18, 2007. Accepted December 11, 2007.

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