Science based calibration for the extraction of 'analyte-specific' HPLC-DAD chromatograms in environmental analysis

Multivariate science based calibration (SBC) has been applied to the resolution of overlapped peaks in liquid chromatography with diode array detection (LC-DAD). Complex river water samples spiked with 11 pharmaceutical substances resulted in poorly resolved chromatograms containing additional peaks from interfering matrix compounds and a change in the background absorbance due to the mobile phase gradient. Applying the present multivariate approach it was possible to resolve all 11 analytes from overlapping peaks, obtaining linear calibration lines (R2 > 0.96). Recovery percentages on spiked samples ranged between 74.6 and 113.5%, which are quite satisfactory taking into account the low concentration ranges considered to 1-7 μg L−1.