Simultaneous analysis of 16 sulfonamide and trimethoprim antibiotics in environmental waters by liquid chromatography–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive liquid chromatography–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method combined with solid-phase extraction and silica cartridge cleanup was established for 16 sulfonamides and trimethoprim in various water matrices. Signal suppression of all target analytes in sewage treatment plant influent, effluent and river water was improved by this method developed in this study. The method detection limits for 17 analytes were 20–200 pg/L for influent, 16–120 pg/L for effluent and 8.0–60 pg/L for river water with overall mean recoveries of 62–102% in all studied matrices. This method was used to analyze residual sulfonamides and trimethoprim in wastewater and river samples from Japan, and 8 analytes (0.08 (sulfadimethoxine)–161 ng/L (sulfapyridine) in wastewater and 10 (0.03 (sulfamethizol)–8.9 ng/L (sulfaquinoxaline) in river samples were detected.