Pharmaceutical trace analysis in aqueous environmental matrices by liquid chromatography–ion trap tandem mass spectrometry

An analytical method based on solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with an ion trap analyser was developed and validated for the quantification of a series of pharmaceutical compounds with distinct physical–chemical characteristics in estuarine water samples. Method detection limits were between 0.03 and 16.4 ng/L. The sensitivity and the accuracy obtained associated with the inherent confirmatory potential of ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (IT-MS/MS) validates its success as an environmental analysis tool. Two MS/MS transitions were used to confirm compound identity. Almost all pharmaceuticals were detected at ng/L level in at least one sampling site of the Douro River estuary, Portugal.