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Title: AN LC/ESI-MS/MS METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF ALKYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATES IN WATER AND SEDIMENT

Author
item LOYO-ROSALES, JORGE - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item SCHMITZ-AFONSO, ISABELLE - USDA/FAS
item Rice, Clifford
item TORRENTS, ALBA - UNIV. OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Interest in substances suspected of causing endocrine disruption effects in biota has increased over the last few years. Nonyl- and octylphenol (NP and OP) and degradation products of their respective alkylphenol ethoxylates (APnEOs) are considered potential endocrine disrupters. These effects and their possible environmental persistence have prompted the development of analytical methods for their determination in the natural environment. Typically, APnEOs are measured by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, but both approaches have limitations. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (LC/ESI-MS/MS) combines the advantages of both techniques for reliable detection and quantification of APnEOs. An LC/ESI-MS/MS method for the detection and quantification of NP, OP and their respective APnEOs (n = 1 to 5) that uses the formation of ammonium adducts of the APnEOs for detection is presented. Ammonium was preferred to sodium because the latter forms very strong adducts that preclude the fragmentation of the ions, limiting the selectivity of the MS/MS approach. The linear range for the quantification of the compounds was 6 to 200 ng/mL for the APnEOs (n = 2 to 5) and 20 to 700 ng/mL for NP, OP, NP1EO and OP1EO. This method was coupled with accelerated solvent and solid phase extraction. Levels of the APnEOs in water, wastewater treatment plant effluent, and sediment from different locations were measured. Quantification limits were 2 ng/L and 9 ng/g for the APnEOs (n = 2 to 5), and 8 ng/L and 30 ng/g for NP, OP, NP1EO and OP1EO in water and sediment, respectively. Observed matrix suppression effects were compensated by using 13C-labeled APnEOs as internal standards.