Analytical methods for determining environmental contaminants of concern in water and wastewater

Control and prevention of environmental pollution have emerged as paramount global concerns. Anthropogenic activities, such as industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, and improper waste disposal, introduce a wide range of contaminants into various ecosystems. These pollutants encompass organic and inorganic compounds, particulates, microorganisms, and disinfection by-products, posing severe threats to human health, ecosystems, and the environment. Effective monitoring methods are indispensable for assessing environmental quality, identifying pollution sources, and implementing remedial measures. This paper suggests that the development and utilization of highly advanced analytical tools are both essential for the analysis of contaminants in water samples, presenting a foundational hypothesis for the review. This paper comprehensively reviews the development and utilization of highly advanced analytical tools which is mandatory for the analysis of contaminants in water samples. Depending on the specific pollutants being studied, the choice of analytical methods widely varies. It also reveals insights into the diverse applications and effectiveness of these methods in assessing water quality and contaminant levels. By emphasizing the critical role of the reviewed monitoring methods, this review seeks to deepen the understanding of pollution challenges and inspire innovative monitoring solutions that contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable global environment.•Urgent global concerns: control and prevention of pollution from diverse sources.•Varied contaminants, diverse methods: comprehensive review of analytical tools.•Inspiring a sustainable future: innovative monitoring for a cleaner environment.

Green application of surfactant modified silica as effective sorbent for extraction and preconcentration of sulfonamide residues in environmental water and honey samples

Micro-solid phase extraction (µ-SPE) using surfactant coated silica for extraction and preconcentration of sulfonamide residues at trace levels in environmental water and honey samples prior their analysis by high performance liquid chronatography coupled with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA). The sample solution were dispersed in a small amounts of solid sorbent by vacuum manifold for sample preparation, and extraction occurred by adsorption in a short time. Finally, the analytes were subsequently desorbed using an appropriate solvent. The pure and coated silica were physicochemically and morphologically characterized by nittrogen (N2) sorptions analyses, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Parameters influencing extraction efficiency, such as amount of sorbent, kind, concentration and volume of surfactant, and kind and volume of desorption solvent, were investigated. The optimum conditions of the proposed method, were mixed standard/sample solution (10 mL), 0.4 g silica, 0.03 M CTAB (150 µL), and 500 μL methanol (as elution solvent). The proposed method, under optimal conditions, showed excellent linearity in different ranges (9-300 μg L-1, the a coefficient of determination (R2) of greater than 0.99), good repeatability (RSD < 6.72 %), good sensitivity (LODs in the range of 1 to 3 µg L-1), high enrichment factor (5.63-13.33), and acceptable relative recoveries (61.0-121.4 %). The developed µ-SPE method was applied to analyze sulfonamide residues in water and honey samples with relative recoveries of 60.9-119.4 % were obtained. This alternative method is simple and is also environmentally friendly which assessed using Analytical Eco-scale and Analytical GREEnness metric (AGREE).

Determination of Sulfonamides in Feeds by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography after Fluorescamine Precolumn Derivatization

A new multi-residue method for the analysis of sulfonamides (sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfaguanidine and sulfamethoxazole) in non-target feeds using high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and precolumnderivatization was developed and validated. Sulfonamides (SAs) were extracted from feed with an ethyl acetate/methanol/acetonitrile mixture. Clean-up was performed on a Strata-SCX cartridge. The HPLC separation was performed on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 column with a gradient mobile phase system of acetic acid, methanol, and acetonitrile. The method was validated according to EU requirements (Commission Decision 2002/657/EC). Linearity, decision limit, detection capability, detection and quantification limits, recovery, precision, and selectivity were determined, and adequate results were obtained. Using the HPLC-FLD method, recoveries were satisfactory (79.3–114.0%), with repeatability and reproducibility in the range of 2.7–9.1% to 5.9–14.9%, respectively. Decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) were 197.7–274.6 and 263.2–337.9 µg/kg, respectively, and limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 34.5–79.5 and 41.3–89.9 µg/kg, respectively, depending on the analyte. Results showed that this analytical procedure is simple, rapid, sensitive, and suitable for the routine control of feeds.

Multi-drug ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify antimicrobials in feeding stuffs at carry-over level

RATIONALE

Carry-over is an undesirable contamination from medicated to non-medicated during the production of feedingstuffs. In 2014 the European Parliament and the Council started working to produce a new regulatory act that will fix tolerable levels of drugs by carry-over in non-target feed to have a harmonized practice to evaluate this contamination by veterinary drugs.

METHODS

We developed a rapid and effective multi-analyte method coupling ultraperformance liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) for the detection of 37 drugs belonging to different classes of antimicrobials (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, pleuromutilins and streptogramins) in feeds at carry-over levels. The method was in-house validated in the concentration range 0.25-2.0 mg kg^-1 , according to the Regulation (UE) 2017/625 requirements and the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official methods.

RESULTS

The UPLC/MS/MS method allows the determination of the antimicrobials in 15 min, by providing results compliant to the criteria established by the European Commission legislation. All the analytes showed a limit of detection (LOD) in the range 2.0-5.0 μg kg^-1 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) at 10.0 μg kg^-1 ; oxytetracycline, doxycycline, spiramycin and virginiamycin have a higher LOD and LOQ (15.0 μg kg^-1 ; 30.0 μg kg^-1 , respectively). Recoveries were satisfactory ranging from 90.4% to 103.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

The method is characterized by an effective clean-up of all drugs without the use of large sample size and organic solvent extraction.

Sulfanilamide in solution and liposome vesicles; in vitro release and UV-stability studies

The main goal of this study was to develop a liposome formulation with sulfanilamide and to investigate the liposomes impact on its release and stability to the UV-A/UV-B and UV-C irradiation. Liposome dispersions with incorporated sulfanilamide were prepared by thin-film hydration method and liposomes role to the sulfanilamide release was investigated by using a dialysis method. Comparatively, sulfanilamide in phosphate buffer solution was subject to release study as well to the UV irradiation providing for the possibilities of kinetics analysis. In vitro drug release study demonstrated that 20% of sulfanilamide was released from liposomes within 1 h that is approximately twice as slower as in the case of dissolved sulfanilamide in phosphate buffer solution. The kinetic release process can be described by Korsmeyer–Peppas model and according to the value of diffusion release exponent it can be concluded that drug release mechanism is based on the phenomenon of diffusion. The sulfanilamide degradation in phosphate buffer solution and liposomes is related to the formation of UV-induced degradation products that are identified by UHPLC/MS analysis as: sulfanilic acid, aniline and benzidine. The UV-induced sulfanilamide degradation in the phosphate buffer solution and liposome vesicles fits the first- order kinetic model. The degradation rate constants are dependent on the involved UV photons energy input as well as sulfanilamide microenvironment. Liposome microenvironment provides better irradiation sulfanilamide stability. The obtained results suggest that liposomes might be promising carriers for delayed sulfanilamide delivery and may serve as a basis for further research.

Rapid Determination of Trace Multiresidues of 18 Sulfonamides in Chicken Eggs Using a Modified QuEChERS Method Coupled with Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography

A modified QuEChERS method was used and an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed for the rapid determination of 18 kinds of sulfonamide residues in chicken eggs. Sample preparation and cleanup conditions were carefully evaluated, and factors such as the adsorbent type and adsorption condition were key parameters in improving the cleanup. The modified QuEChERS method removed matrix interferences, and the sensitivity of the method increased about 5% for recovery and efficiency of the method. Under the optimized UHPLC method with UV detection, all 18 sulfonamide residues were simultaneously separated and rapidly identified within 15 min. The qualitative and quantitative method limits of the 18 sulfonamide residues were 2.06 to 4.12 and 6.86 to 13.7 μg·kg^-1, respectively. A close linear relationship (R² = 0.990 to 0.999) was observed within the concentration range of 0.10 to 2.25 μg·ml^-1. Recovery was satisfactory (71 to 102%) for all the sulfonamides in three standard spiked levels, with relative standard deviations of <9.7%. After the modified sample pretreatment, the speed of sample pretreatment, purification, and analysis efficiency were all significantly increased. This method is suitable for the rapid detection of multisulfonamide residues in chicken eggs and other animal-derived foods.

Recent advances in sample preparation techniques and methods of sulfonamides detection - A review

Sulfonamides (SAs) have been the most widely used antimicrobial drugs for more than 70 years, and their residues in foodstuffs and environmental samples pose serious health hazards. For this reason, sensitive and specific methods for the quantification of these compounds in numerous matrices have been developed. This review intends to provide an updated overview of the recent trends over the past five years in sample preparation techniques and methods for detecting SAs. Examples of the sample preparation techniques, including liquid-liquid and solid-phase extraction, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and QuEChERS, are given. Different methods of detecting the SAs present in food and feed and in environmental, pharmaceutical and biological samples are discussed.

Feed premix: a difficult matrix for the accurate determination of trace elements - the outcome of IMEP-114 and IMEP-36

This paper presents the outcome of two proficiency tests (IMEP-114/36) running in parallel, which focused on the determination of total As, Cd, Pb, Hg and Sn in feed premixes. Both exercises aimed to test the performance of laboratories measuring trace elements in feed, in compliance with Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed. IMEP-114 was run for the European Union National Reference Laboratories, while IMEP-36 was open to all food control laboratories that wished to participate. In total 80 laboratories from 37 countries registered to both proficiency tests, from which 75 laboratories reported results. The test material used in this exercise was commercially available feed premix, which was processed, bottled, labelled and dispatched to participants. The performance of the participating laboratories was similar in both proficiency tests and was very good in the case of total Cd and less satisfactory for total As and total Pb. For total Sn only one-third of the participants reported results, from which 33% performed satisfactorily. Thirty-four participants reported results for total Hg, although the expert laboratories stated that the mass fraction for that measurand was below the limit of detection of the method used. An evaluation of the reasons that could be at the basis of unsatisfactory results has been carried out and is presented here.

Non-target screening of veterinary drugs using tandem mass spectrometry on SmartMass

Non-target screening of veterinary drugs using tandem mass spectrometric data was performed on the SmartMass platform. This newly developed software uses the characteristic fragmentation patterns (CFP) to identify chemicals, especially those containing particular substructures. A mixture of 17 sulfonamides was separated by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), and SmartMass was used to process the tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data acquired on an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The data were automatically extracted, and each sulfonamide was recognized and analyzed with a prebuilt analysis rule. By using this software, over 98% of the false candidate structures were eliminated, and all the correct structures were found within the top 10 of the ranking lists. Furthermore, SmartMass could also be used to identify slightly modified contraband drugs and metabolites with simple prebuilt rules.