Using liquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry to determine pharmaceutical residues in Taiwanese rivers and wastewaters

To establish their environmental concentrations and to support surface water protection programs, we have undertaken a preliminary study of the concentrations of selected acidic and neutral pharmaceutical residues (clofibric acid, ketoprofen, ibuprofen, diclofenac and carbamazepine) in Taiwanese river and wastewater samples. These pharmaceutical residues were extracted from the water samples through the Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction (SPE). The analytes were then identified and quantified using liquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry with dual-polarity electrospray ionization in the product ion scan mode. The limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged between 0.5 and 20 ng l−1 for 250 ml samples of water. We investigated the intra- and interbatch precision and accuracy at two levels of concentration. The selected analytes were detected at concentrations ranging from <0.5 to 960 ng l−1 in wastewater treatment plant effluents and river water samples.