Engineered pine nut shell derived activated carbons for improved removal of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals in urban wastewater treatment

Novel powdered activated carbons (PACs) from pine cones and pine nut shells (PNSs) were tested for the competitive adsorption of pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) in spiked (100 µg/L) secondary effluent and mixed liquor from an urban wastewater treatment plant. Steam activated PNS77, with hierarchical pore structure and 1463 m²/g of BET area, outperformed the commercial benchmark (WP220, mineral origin) for PhCs and dissolved organic matter (DOM) control. PNS77 attained the highest adsorption capacity and rate in synthetic and real wastewaters. Competitive adsorption isotherms revealed the detrimental effect of direct site competing DOM on PhC removal. The PhCs' adsorbability increased with their hydrophobicity, regardless of the water matrix. Kinetic data allowed inferring that indirect competition due to pore constriction/blockage appeared to occur only in mixed liquor. Adsorption isotherm data modelling for ng/L range revealed 80 % removal of carbamazepine and diclofenac would be achieved dosing 8-15 mg/L PNS77 to secondary effluent, while for mixed liquor the dose must be doubled to balance the increased competition. Hydrophilic sulfamethoxazole required a higher dose (34-44 mg/L), lower in the mixed liquor. PNS77 hierarchical pore network and basic surface chemistry minimized DOM direct site competition, requiring lower doses in practical applications for wastewater treatment.

Synthesis of a highly recoverable 3D MnO2/rGO hybrid aerogel for efficient adsorptive separation of pharmaceutical residue

Water contamination by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as acetaminophen, is an emerging ecological concern. In this study, a new three-dimensional manganese dioxide-engrafted reduced graphene oxide (3D MnO₂/rGO) hybrid aerogel was developed for acetaminophen sequestration. The synthesis involved firstly the self-assembly of GO aerogel, followed by thermal reduction and in-situ MnO₂ growth by redox-reaction. The aerogel demonstrated interlinked planes with smooth surfaces deposited with MnO₂ nanospheres and pores of 138.4 - 235.3 µm width. The influences of adsorbent dosage, initial pH, acetaminophen concentration, temperature and contact time were investigated. It was determined that the adsorption of acetaminophen occurred on uniform sorption sites in the aerogel, as suggested by the best fit of data to the Langmuir isotherm, yielding a maximum adsorption capacity of 252.87 mg/g. This highest adsorption performance of the 3D MnO₂/rGO aerogel was attained at a dosage of 0.6 g/L, initial pH of 6.2 and temperature of 40°C. The process kinetics were in-line with the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics at 10 and 20 - 500 mg/L concentrations, respectively. Thermodynamic assay showed the spontaneity and endothermicity features of the 3D MnO₂/rGO-acetaminophen system. The acetaminophen adsorption mechanisms were mainly hydrogen bonding and pore entrapment. Moreover, the as-synthesised aerogel was effectively regenerated using acetone and re-utilised in four adsorption-desorption cycles. Overall, the results highly recommend the implementation of the 3D MnO₂/rGO hybrid aerogel for purification of wastewater polluted by acetaminophen residue.

Trace Analysis of Multiclass Antibiotics in Food Products by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Method Development

It is commonly known that the widespread use of antibiotics has led to their existence in food products as residues and ingestion of these food products may create a selection pressure on bacteria inhabiting the human body. In this study, an optimized method for the analysis of antibiotic residues in different food groups, including cereals, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruits, was developed using solvent extraction, solid-phase extraction cleanup, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The limits of detection (LODs) were achieved as 0.007-1.1, 0.008-0.46, 0.002-0.67, 0.007-0.63, 0.001-0.098, and 0.005-0.26 ng/g in ng/g in cereals, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruits, respectively. The overall average recoveries at three spiking levels of the 81 antibiotics (5, 25, and 50 ng/g dry weight) were 82 ± 26, 77 ± 26, 70 ± 34, 69 ± 31, 73 ± 29, and 62 ± 37% in cereals, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruits, respectively. The method was then applied to the analysis of the targets in the collected wheat flour, mutton, chicken egg, boxed milk, cabbage, and banana samples, with the total concentration of the antibiotics detected being 4.4, 2.3, 36, 5.5, 2.7, and 14 ng/g, respectively. This work suggests that the developed method provides a time- and cost-effective method to identify and quantify antibiotic residues in common food products.

Multiclass, Multiresidue Method for the Quantification and Confirmation of 112 Veterinary Drugs in Game Meat (Bison, Deer, Elk, and Rabbit) by Rapid Polarity Switching Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An analytical program for multiclass, multiresidue residue analysis to qualitatively and quantitatively determine veterinary drug compounds in game meats by LC-MS/MS has been developed and validated. The method was validated for the analysis of muscle from bison, deer, elk, and rabbit to test for 112 veterinary drug residues from the following drug classes: β-agonists, anthelmintics, anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, fluoroquinolones, β-lactams, macrolides, nitroimidazoles, phenicols, polypeptides, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, thyreostats, and tranquilizers. Muscle was extracted using a simple and quick procedure based on a solvent extraction with 80% ACN/water and sample cleanup with dispersive solid-phase extraction. The compounds of interest were separated using a Waters HSS T3 column and detected by tandem mass spectrometry with rapid polarity switching to detect both negatively and positively charged ions in a single run. Recoveries were calculated using extracted matrix-matched calibration curves for each type of matrix. The average accuracy of fortified compounds ranged from 95.6 to 101% at the target quantitative validation level in the four matrices. The method was also validated as a qualitative screening method where all sample responses were compared with a single extracted matrix-matched calibrant at the target testing level (5 or 25 ng/g). Samples demonstrating a presumptive positive above the threshold value were re-extracted and analyzed with a five-point matrix-matching extracted calibration curve. Since the beginning of this survey program, 360 samples have been analyzed for veterinary drug residues in game meats. Antibiotic or tranquilizer residues have been identified in deer (chlortetracycline, haloperidol, and tulathromycin) and rabbit (sulfadiazine).

High-throughput planar solid-phase extraction coupled to orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry via the autoTLC-MS interface for screening of 66 multi-class antibiotic residues in food of animal origin

Antibiotic residues in food pose a major threat to the health of humans and animals worldwide. Their trace-level analysis is still too time- and cost-intensive to be adequately covered in routine analysis. Thus, a new high-throughput planar solid-phase extraction method has been developed for rapid screening of 66 antibiotics. Via simple clicks on the image, the autoTLC-MS interface automatically eluted the target analyte zones directly into an orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer operated in the variable data-independent acquisition mode. Muscle tissue, cow milk and chicken eggs were analyzed regarding nine different antibiotic classes, including sulfonamides, diaminopyrimidines, lincosamides, pleuromutilins, macrolides, cephalosporins, penicillins, amphenicols and nitroimidazoles. The planar clean-up took 7 min per sample, which is 5-fold faster than the routine state-of-the-art. The screening method has been validated for one representative of each class according to the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Most analytes were successfully detected at half of their required maximum residue limit.

Determination of Polypeptide Antibiotic Residues in Food of Animal Origin by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A novel UHPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of polypeptide antibiotic residues in animal muscle, milk, and eggs was developed and validated. Bacitracin A, colistin A, colistin B, polymyxin B1, and polymyxin B2 were extracted from the samples with a mixture of acetonitrile/water/ammonia solution 25%, 80/10/10 (v/v/v), and put through further evaporation, reconstitution, and filtration steps. The chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column in gradient elution mode. Mass spectral acquisitions were performed in selective multiple reaction monitoring mode by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The method was validated according to the criteria of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The method quantifies polypeptides in a linear range from 10 to 1000 μg kg⁻¹, where the lowest concentration on the calibration curve refers to the limit of quantification (LOQ). The recoveries ranged from 70 to 99%, the repeatability was below 13%, and within-laboratory reproducibility was lower than 15%. The decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) values were calculated, and ruggedness and stability studies were performed, to fulfill the criteria for confirmatory methods. Moreover, the developed method may also be used for screening purposes by its labor efficiency.

A rapid colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic strip assay for monitoring nitroxynil in milk

BACKGROUND

Nitroxynil (NIT) is a veterinary drug against hepatic fluke disease for food-producing cattle and sheep. NIT has a long half-life time in animals since it is highly bound to plasma protein. Therefore NIT possibly remains in animal edible tissues or milk due to drug abuse. In this study, a specific murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) against NIT was prepared and an immunochromatographic strip assay based on the mAb was developed for screening NIT in milk.

RESULTS

The affinity constant of the anti-NIT mAb was 2.93 × 10¹⁰ and the anti-NIT mAb had almost no cross-reactivity with other analogs, so that it showed good specificity. The cutoff value of this test strip was considered to be 50 ng mL^-1 by the naked eye. When detected by the strip reader, the half maximum inhibition concentration (IC₅₀ ) of the immunoassay strip was calculated to be 5.716 ng mL^-1 and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1.146 ng mL^-1 . Intra-assay recoveries from 88.80 to 97.13% were obtained, with the highest coefficient of variation (CV) at 9.01%; inter-assay recoveries ranged from 84.60 to 106.87%, with the highest CV at 9.93%.

CONCLUSION

The operative procedure of the proposed method can be completed within 10 min. The strip developed in this study was a practical tool for rapid semiquantitative and quantitative detection of NIT in milk. This study suggested great potential for analytically monitoring NIT in other food samples. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Multiclass and multiresidue screening of veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula using Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS with PRM scan mode

A multiclass and multiresidue method for screening veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula was developed and validated using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to Quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). A total of 49 veterinary drugs and pesticides investigated belong to 11 classes including antivirals, anticoccidials, macrolides, pyrethroids, insecticides, sulfonamides, beta-agonists, sedatives, thyreostats, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and other pharmacologically active substances. A generic sample preparation and highly selective acquisition mode of parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) were deliberately incorporated to perform efficient screening analysis. As a result, the screening target concentrations of the analytes varied from 1 to 500 μg/kg with ≤5% of false compliant rate as specified in Decision 2002/657/EC for screening analysis. The average recoveries ranged from 40.7 to 124.9% as well as the relative standard deviations from 4.2 to 26.6%, respectively. The matrix effects and interferences were effectively controlled by integrated application of dispersive solid phase extraction, PRM scan mode, and matrix-matched standard calibration. The proposed method will be helpful to provide applicable strategy for screening residues in infant formula with surveillance purpose.

Adsorptive interaction of peroxymonosulfate with graphene and catalytic assessment via non-radical pathway for the removal of aqueous pharmaceuticals

Graphene has been applied as a catalyst in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for the removal of pharmaceuticals in water. Firstly, a kinetic adsorption study of PMS was developed, fitting the results to the Elovich's equation. Moreover, the influence of the main variables in the adsorptive process such as pH, initial PMS concentration, and graphene dose were assessed. Secondly, the degradation of diclofenac as a target compound was studied comparing PMS-catalytic versus adsorption processes. PMS-catalytic process enhanced the removal of the micropollutant if compared to adsorption when using a low dose of graphene (less than 50 mg L^-1) or after surface saturation. Studies using radical scavengers suggested the lack of radicals in the process, suggesting the non-radical activation of PMS. Thirdly, the adsorption versus PMS-catalytic processes were also compared for the oxidation of a mixture of three antibiotics (norfloxacin, tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole) with different chemical structure. PMS-catalytic activation was more effective for the removal of those compounds that presented less affinity towards adsorption onto the graphene surface. Finally, characterization of the fresh and PMS-treated material was performed. Graphene demonstrated to be stable after its use as catalysts in PMS activation, suffering only slight transformation of the surface oxidation groups.

Comparison of Solid-Phase Microextraction to Solvent Extraction and QuEChERS for Quantitative Analysis of Veterinary Drug Residues in Chicken and Beef Matrices

A fully automated high-throughput method using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was developed and validated for quantitative analysis of more than 100 veterinary drugs in chicken and beef tissue. The work also encompassed a comparison of the SPME method to two well-documented sample preparation procedures, solvent extraction (SE) and quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS). SPME showed considerably less matrix effects, with only two compounds showing significant matrix effects in comparison to 30% of analytes in QuEChERS and 42% in SE in beef tissue. Excellent accuracy and precision results were achieved with all methods in the chicken matrix, with more than 91% of analytes falling within the 70-120% range of their true concentrations and relative standard deviation of ≤25% at 0.75X and 1.5X, where X is the maximum residue level. Similar results were achieved in beef tissue. All methods were able to meet regulatory limit of quantitation levels for the majority of target analytes.

Synergistic effects of anionic surfactants on adsorption of norfloxacin by magnetic biochar derived from furfural residue

Norfloxacin (NOR) is a persistent organic pollutant and can be effectively removed from effluent by adsorption of biochar. However, the presence of other emerging contaminants, such as surfactants, will potentially alter adsorption performance of norfloxacin by biochar and the molecular-scale mechanisms of the interaction between surfactants and biochar remain poorly understood. In this study, adsorption of norfloxacin on magnetic biochar prepared with iron-containing furfural residue (FRMB) in the presence or absence of anionic surfactants was investigated. The adsorption of NOR was significantly affected by the initial pH and anionic surfactants-sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). In the presence of SDS and SDBS, the maximum sorption capacities of NOR were 2.33 and 1.97 times higher than that in the absence of surfactants, reached to 698.6 mg g^-1 and 589.9 mg g^-1, respectively. The optimal pH condition which was 4 indicated that electrostatic adsorption played a decisive role in the adsorption process after introduction of SDS/SDBS. The adsorption data were fitted well by the Elovich model and Freundlich model at the optimal conditions in which both SDS and SDBS were hemimicelle (0.8 mM SDS or 0.4 mM SDBS), indicating surface heterogeneity of FRMB and the adsorption mechanism was related to the assembly of surfactants on biochar. FTIR results showed that FRMB and SDS/SDBS interacted through hydrophobic action, and more complex or aggregates were formed between the NOR and biochar/SDS/SDBS. This work highlights the synergistic enhancement effects of tested surfactants on the removal of NOR by magnetic biochar from aqueous systems.

Enteromorpha prolifera-derived Fe3C/C composite as advanced catalyst for hydroxyl radical generation and efficient removal for organic dye and antibiotic

Enteromorpha prolifera-derived Fe₃C/C composite has been fabricated through a facile one-step calcination method. As an advanced Fenton-like catalyst, the obtained Fe₃C/C composite displayed high catalytic reactivity to generate hydroxyl radicals. It is worth to note that the removal rate of methylene blue (MB) could effectively reach 100% in a wide pH range (pH = 2˜12) and the maximum degradation capacity of the composite is 660 mg/g. The stability and reusability of Fe₃C/C composite catalyst have also been tested, which could remain the removal rate at 100% after 6 consecutive runs. To illustrate the practical application possibility, the Fe₃C/C composite catalyst was used for degradation of papermaking and dyeing waste water, which could reduce the COD (chemical oxygen demand) value to less than 50. Additionally, the antibiotic norfloxacin (NOR) could also be catalytically removed by the Fe₃C/C composite and the possible removal pathway has also been proposed. The excellent removal performance of Fe₃C/C composite for MB and NOR may be attributed to the synergistic effect between porous carbon adsorption and Fe₃C catalysis. This study not only provides novel insights into recycling of waste biomass, but also paves a new way for the application of Fe₃C/C in dyes and antibiotics waste water treatment areas.

Multiresidue Determination of 27 Sulfonamides in Poultry Feathers and Its Application to a Sulfamethazine Pharmacokinetics Study on Laying Hen Feathers and Sulfonamide Residue Monitoring on Poultry Feathers

A method for the simultaneous determination of 27 sulfonamides in poultry feathers using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was established in this study. The samples were extracted using 0.1 mol/L HCl solutions in a 60 °C water bath for 2 h, purified using hydrophilic-lipophilic balance solid-phase extraction, nitrogen-dried, and then reconstituted for UPLC-MS/MS analysis, which was performed with a CSH-C18 column. Linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery, and precision were calculated in accordance with Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. For linearity, all standard curves showed a standard coefficient greater than 0.99, and the recoveries and coefficient of variation were 89-115% and <20%, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.2-5 and 0.5-20 ng/g, respectively. The method was successfully applied to sulfamethazine (SMZ) residue accumulation monitoring in laying hen feathers and sulfonamide residue monitoring on poultry feathers. SMZ residue accumulation in the laying hen feathers was studied after administration with 100 mg/kg of SMZ for 21 consecutive days. SMZ residues were still detected in feathers 14 days after drug administration and persisted for up to 85 days. Results from 42 poultry feather samples showed that the feather is a suitable medium to monitor the illegal use of sulfonamides in poultry production.

Investigation of adsorption performance of graphene oxide/polyaniline reinforced hollow fiber membrane for preconcentration of Ivermectin in some environmental samples

Herein, the application of Graphene oxide-polyaniline (GO/PANI) in one of newly hollow fiber based microextraction techniques so called (HF-S/LPME) was investigated successfully. Graphene oxide-polyaniline (GO/PANI) nanocomposite was generated via an amidation reaction in the presence of N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and GO as starting material. The solid sorbent dispersed in dihexyl ether was immersed and injected into the lumen of hollow fiber. The results indicated that GO/PANI had a higher adsorption efficiency for the Ivermectin in comparison with GO and GO-ethylen diamine (GO/EDA). A Taguchi experimental design with an OAD₁₆ (4⁵) matrix was employed to optimize the affecting parameters such as pH, stirring rate, extraction time, salt addition and the volume of donor phase. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the method showed a good linear dynamic range (0.1-5000.0 ppb) with a lower limit of detection (0.03 ppb) and excellent preconcentration factor (PF = 219.88) respectively.

Determination of three tetracyclines in bovine milk using magnetic solid phase extraction in tandem with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with HPLC

A novel analytical method namely magnetic solid phase extraction in tandem with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was developed and used for the extraction/preconcentration of tetracycline (TCN), oxytetracycline (OTC) and doxycycline (DC) from bovine milk sample before HPLC-UV analysis. The β-cyclodextrin functionalized silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@GO-β-CD) was used as an adsorbent. The adsorbent was fully characterized using FT-IR, SEM, EDX and Zeta potential techniques. The effective parameters on the performance of the method such as extraction solvent type and volume, adsorbent amount, desorption solvent type and volume, disperser solvent type, desorption time, ionic strength and pH value were investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were obtained in the ranges of 1.8-2.9 μg L^-1 and 6.1-9.7 μg L^-1, respectively. The linearity was in the range of 10.0-200.0 μg L^-1 with satisfactory determination coefficients (R²) higher than 0.9929 and a good precision (RSD < 8.8%). The recovery percentages for the analytes in real samples (bovine milk and water) were achieved in a range from 70.6 to 121.5%.

Seasonal Variations in Water-Quality, Antibiotic Residues, Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Escherichia coli Isolates from Water and Sediments of the Kshipra River in Central India

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the seasonal variation, over one year, in water-quality, antibiotic residue levels, antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from water and sediment of the Kshipra River in Central India.

METHODS

Water and sediment samples were collected from seven selected points from the Kshipra River in the Indian city of Ujjain in the summer, rainy season, autumn and winter seasons in 2014. Water quality parameters (physical, chemical and microbiological) were analyzed using standard methods. High-performance liquid chromatography⁻tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of antibiotic residues. In river water and sediment samples, antibiotic resistance and multidrug resistance patterns of isolated E. coli to 17 antibiotics were tested and genes coding for resistance and phylogenetic groups were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher tests were applied to determine seasonal variation.

RESULTS

In river water, seasonal variation was significantly associated with various water quality parameters, presence of sulfamethoxazole residues, bacteria resistant to ampicillin, cefepime, meropenem, amikacin, gentamicin, tigecycline, multidrug resistance and CTX-M-1 gene. The majority of the Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolates from river water and sediment in all different seasons belonged to phylogenetic group A or B1.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotic pollution, resistance and resistance genes in the Kshipra River showed significant seasonal variation. Guidelines and regulatory standards are needed to control environmental dissemination of these “pollutants” in this holy river.

Wide-Scope Screening Method for Multiclass Veterinary Drug Residues in Fish, Shrimp, and Eel Using Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

A screening method for veterinary drug residues in fish, shrimp, and eel using LC with a high-resolution MS instrument has been developed and validated. The method was optimized for over 70 test compounds representing a variety of veterinary drug classes. Tissues were extracted by vortex mixing with acetonitrile acidified with 2% acetic acid and 0.2% p-toluenesulfonic acid. A centrifuged portion of the extract was passed through a novel solid phase extraction cartridge designed to remove interfering matrix components from tissue extracts. The eluent was then evaporated and reconstituted for analysis. Data were collected with a quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer using both nontargeted and targeted acquisition methods. Residues were detected on the basis of the exact mass of the precursor and a product ion along with isotope pattern and retention time matching. Semiquantitative data analysis compared MS¹ signal to a one-point extracted matrix standard at a target testing level. The test compounds were detected and identified in salmon, tilapia, catfish, shrimp, and eel extracts fortified at the target testing levels. Fish dosed with selected analytes and aquaculture samples previously found to contain residues were also analyzed. The screening method can be expanded to monitor for an additional >260 veterinary drugs on the basis of exact mass measurements and retention times.

Development and Validation of a Multiclass, Multiresidue Method for Veterinary Drug Analysis in Infant Formula and Related Ingredients Using UHPLC-MS/MS

A multiclass, multiresidue method based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated for the analysis of around 150 veterinary drugs in infant formula and related dairy ingredients. The included analytes belong to the following veterinary drug classes: anthelmintics, antibiotics (aminoglycoside, amphenicols, β-lactams-penicillins and cephalosporins, lincosamides, macrolides, quinolones, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and others), antimicrobial growth promoters, antiprotozoals, β-agonists, coccidiostats, dyes, pesticides, and tranquilizers. The sample preparation procedure involves dispersing the sample in 0.05 M EDTA solution in water, followed by extraction with 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile, drying down an aliquot of the extract, and reconstituting it in a water-acetonitrile mixture. The analyte detection, identification, and quantitation are performed by UHPLC-MS/MS using positive electrospray ionization mode. The method was validated in infant formula powder, whole milk powder, and whey protein isolate, typically achieving limits of quantitation (meeting acceptable recovery and precision validation criteria) at 1-10 ng/g.

A Simple and Fast Extraction Method for the Determination of Multiclass Antibiotics in Eggs Using LC-MS/MS

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a simple, fast, and specific extraction method for the analysis of 64 antibiotics from nine classes (including sulfonamides, quinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamide, nitrofurans, β-lactams, nitromidazoles, and cloramphenicols) in chicken eggs. Briefly, egg samples were simply extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile-water (90:10, v/v) and 0.1 mol·L^-1 Na₂EDTA solution assisted with ultrasonic. The extract was centrifuged, condensed, and directly analyzed on a liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with conventional cleanup methods (passing through solid phase extract cartridges), the established method demonstrated comparable efficiencies in eliminating matrix effects and higher or equivalent recoveries for most of the target compounds. Typical validation parameters including specificity, linearity, matrix effect, limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs), the decision limit, detection capability, trueness, and precision were evaluated. The recoveries of target compounds ranged from 70.8% to 116.1% at three spiking levels (5, 20, and 50 μg·kg^-1), with relative standard deviations less than 14%. LODs and LOQs were in the ranges of 0.005-2.00 μg·kg^-1 and 0.015-6.00 μg·kg^-1 for all of the antibiotics, respectively. A total of five antibiotics were successfully detected in 22 commercial eggs from local markets. This work suggests that the method is suitable for the analysis of multiclass antibiotics in eggs.

Determination of norfloxacin in food by an enhanced spectrofluorimetric method

BACKGROUND

Using a norfloxacin (NFLX)-Nd³⁺ -cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) system for the detection of NFLX, a simple and sensitive method based on fluorescence enhancement was developed.

RESULTS

In pH 7.0 buffer solution, NFLX reacted with Nd³⁺ to form a complex, which resulted in fluorescence enhancement of NFLX, and the maximum emission peak shifted from 415 nm for NFLX to 450 nm for NFLX-Nd³⁺ . Moreover, the fluorescence intensity increased further when the surfactant CTAB was added to NFLX-Nd³⁺ . Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of the NFLX-Nd³⁺ -CTAB system was linearly correlated with the NFLX concentration in the range 0.038-10 µmol L^-1 , with a correlation coefficient (R² ) of 0.9997. The detection limit (3σ/k) was 0.021 µmol L^-1 , indicating that this method can be applied to detect trace NFLX levels. The mechanism of fluorescence enhancement is discussed. The method was used to detect NFLX in fish and chicken samples with satisfactory results.

CONCLUSION

The present results indicate that this method has the potential for fast and real-time determination of NFLX in food samples © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Validated electrochemical and chromatographic quantifications of some antibiotic residues in pharmaceutical industrial waste water

Realistic implementation of ion selective electrodes (ISEs) into environmental monitoring programs has always been a challenging task. This could be largely attributed to difficulties in validation of ISE assay results. In this study, the electrochemical response of amoxicillin trihydrate (AMX), ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CPLX), trimethoprim (TMP), and norfloxacin (NFLX) was studied by the fabrication of sensitive membrane electrodes belonging to two types of ISEs, which are polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane electrodes and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. Linear response for the membrane electrodes was in the concentration range of 10^-5-10^-2 mol/L. For the PVC membrane electrodes, Nernstian slopes of 55.1, 56.5, 56.5, and 54.0 mV/decade were achieved over a pH 4-8 for AMX, CPLX, and NFLX, respectively, and pH 3-6 for TMP. On the other hand, for GC electrodes, Nernstian slopes of 59.1, 58.2, 57.0, and 58.2 mV/decade were achieved over pH 4-8 for AMX, CPLX, and NFLX, respectively, and pH 3-6 for TMP. In addition to assay validation to international industry standards, the fabricated electrodes were also cross-validated relative to conventional separation techniques; high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and thin layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometry. The HPLC assay was applied in concentration range of 0.5-10.0 μg/mL, for all target analytes. The TLC-densitometry was adopted over a concentration range of 0.3-1.0 μg/band, for AMX, and 0.1-0.9 μg/band, for CPLX, NFLX, and TMP. The proposed techniques were successfully applied for quantification of the selected drugs either in pure form or waste water samples obtained from pharmaceutical plants. The actual waste water samples were subjected to solid phase extraction (SPE) for pretreatment prior to the application of chromatographic techniques (HPLC and TLC-densitometry). On the other hand, the fabricated electrodes were successfully applied for quantification of the antibiotic residues in actual waste water samples without any pretreatment. This finding assures the suitability of the fabricated ISEs for environmental analysis.

Comparison of veterinary drug residue results in animal tissues by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole or quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry after different sample preparation methods, including use of a commercial lipid removal product

Veterinary drug residues in animal-derived foods must be monitored to ensure food safety, verify proper veterinary practices, enforce legal limits in domestic and imported foods, and for other purposes. A common goal in drug residue analysis in foods is to achieve acceptable monitoring results for as many analytes as possible, with higher priority given to the drugs of most concern, in an efficient and robust manner. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has implemented a multiclass, multi-residue method based on sample preparation using dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) for cleanup and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ) for analysis of >120 drugs at regulatory levels of concern in animal tissues. Recently, a new cleanup product called "enhanced matrix removal for lipids" (EMR-L) was commercially introduced that used a unique chemical mechanism to remove lipids from extracts. Furthermore, high-resolution quadrupole-time-of-flight (Q/TOF) for (U)HPLC detection often yields higher selectivity than targeted QQQ analyzers while allowing retroactive processing of samples for other contaminants. In this study, the use of both d-SPE and EMR-L sample preparation and UHPLC-QQQ and UHPLC-Q/TOF analysis methods for shared spiked samples of bovine muscle, kidney, and liver was compared. The results showed that the EMR-L method provided cleaner extracts overall and improved results for several anthelmintics and tranquilizers compared to the d-SPE method, but the EMR-L method gave lower recoveries for certain β-lactam antibiotics. QQQ vs. Q/TOF detection showed similar mixed performance advantages depending on analytes and matrix interferences, with an advantage to Q/TOF for greater possible analytical scope and non-targeted data collection. Either combination of approaches may be used to meet monitoring purposes, with an edge in efficiency to d-SPE, but greater instrument robustness and less matrix effects when analyzing EMR-L extracts. Graphical abstract Comparison of cleanup methods in the analysis of veterinary drug residues in bovine tissues.

Sorption and retention of diclofenac on zeolite in the presence of cationic surfactant

Diclofenac (DC) is one of the most widely prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and one of the commonly found pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments and wastewater treatment plants. It possesses negative charges when solution pH is greater than its pKa value, while most of the soil components and sediment minerals bear negative charges, too, resulting in a net repulsion between the soil minerals and DC. Surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) has been studied extensively over the last 20 years for its effective removal of anionic contaminants tested under different experimental scales. However, its application for the removal of anionic drugs, such as DC, was less reported. This study focused on the sorption of DC by SMZ under different physic-chemical conditions, supplemented with instrumental analyses, in order to elucidate the mechanism of DC sorption by SMZ and to expand the SMZ application further. The results showed that the retention of DC was on the external surfaces of SMZ with extremely fast removal rate. Both anion exchange and partitioning of DC into the adsorbed surfactant micelles (admicelles) were responsible for the extended DC sorption. Interactions of DC with SMZ were facilitated with the benzene ring, the CO, and the CH₂CH₃ functional groups.

Mechanisms of removal of three widespread pharmaceuticals by two clay materials

Pharmaceutical residues presence in the environment is among nowadays top emergent environmental issues. For removal of such pollutants, adsorption is a generally efficient process that can be complementary to conventional treatment. Research of cheap, widely available adsorbents may make this process economically attractive. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the capacity of two clay materials (exfoliated vermiculite, LECA) to adsorb gemfibrozil, mefenamic acid and naproxen in lab-scale batch assays. Results show that both adsorbents are able to remove the pharmaceuticals from aqueous medium. Although vermiculite exhibited higher adsorption capacities per unit mass of adsorbent, LECA yielded higher absolute removals of the pharmaceuticals due to the larger mass of adsorbent. Quantum chemistry calculations predicted that the forms of binding of the three molecules to the vermiculite surface are essentially identical, but the adsorption isotherm of naproxen differs substantially from the other two's. The linear forms of the latter impose limits at lower concentrations to the removal efficiencies of these pharmaceuticals by vermiculite, thereby electing LECA as more efficient. Notwithstanding, vermiculite's high specific adsorption capacity and also its much faster adsorption kinetics suggest that there may be some benefits in combining both materials as a composite adsorbent solution.

Evaluation of the Presence and Levels of Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfaquinoxaline and Oxytetracycline in Broiler Chickens after Drug Administration

The depletion times of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin as well as sulfaquinoxaline and oxytetracycline were evaluated in broiler chickens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment. The presence and residue levels of these drugs in muscle tissue were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method that was validated in this work. The results showed the presence of all antimicrobial residues; however, the presence of residues at concentrations higher than the drugs’ maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg kg^-1 was found only during the treatment period for oxytetracycline and until two days after discontinuation of the medication for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulfaquinoxaline. It was concluded that the residues of all antimicrobials were rapidly metabolized from the broiler muscles; after four days of withdrawal, the levels were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for the studied analytes.

Synchronized separation, concentration and determination of trace sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine in food and environment by using polyoxyethylene lauryl ether-salt aqueous two-phase system coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography

Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (POELE10)-Na2C4H4O6 aqueous two-phase extraction system (ATPES) is a novel and green pretreatment technique to trace samples. ATPES coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used to analyze synchronously sulfadiazine (SDZ) and sulfamethazine (SMT) in animal by-products (i.e., egg and milk) and environmental water sample. It was found that the extraction efficiency (E%) and the enrichment factor (F) of SDZ and SMT were influenced by the types of salts, the concentration of salt, the concentration of POELE10 and the temperature. The orthogonal experimental design (OED) was adopted in the multi-factor experiment to determine the optimized conditions. The final optimal condition was as following: the concentration of POELE10 is 0.027gmL(-1), the concentration of Na2C4H4O6 is 0.180gmL(-1) and the temperature is 35°C. This POELE10-Na2C4H4O6 ATPS was applied to separate and enrich SDZ and SMT in real samples (i.e., water, egg and milk) under the optimal conditions, and it was found that the recovery of SDZ and SMT was 96.20-99.52% with RSD of 0.35-3.41%. The limit of detection (LOD) of this method for the SDZ and SMT in spiked samples was 2.52-3.64pgmL(-1), and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of this method for the SDZ and SMT in spiked samples was 8.41-12.15pgmL(-1).

Nickel Oxide Nanoparticle-Deposited Silica Composite Solid-Phase Extraction for Benzimidazole Residue Analysis in Milk and Eggs by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

A novel nickel oxide nanoparticle-deposited silica (SiO2@NiO) composite was prepared via liquid-phase deposition (LPD) and then employed as a solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbent. When the SPE was coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS) analysis, an analytical platform for the sensitive determination of benzimidazole residues in egg and milk was established. The limits of detection of nine benzimidazoles were in the range of 0.8-2.2 ng/mL in milk and 0.3-2.1 ng/g in eggs, respectively, which was 5-10 times superior to the methods with other adsorbents for SPE. The recoveries of nine benzimidazoles spiked in milk and egg ranged from 70.8 to 118.7%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) being less than 18.9%. This work presented the excellent extraction performance of NiO on benzimidazoles for the first time, and the applicability of the LPD technique used as sorbents for trace analysis in complex matrices was also demonstrated.

Optimized removal of antibiotic drugs from aqueous solutions using single, double and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

In this study, experiments were carried out to investigate the use of as-synthesized single-walled (SWCNT), double-walled (DWCNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) agglomerates for the removal of two antibiotics, Oxytetracycline (OXY) and Ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solution. The variations of key operating parameters on the removal process were assessed in order to find out the optimum conditions. It includes exposure time, solution pH, temperature, ultrasound assistance and desorption assays. The experimental results revealed that a moderate increase in adsorption was registered between pH 3 and 7 for both antibiotics. The application of ultrasound helped enhancing the removal capacities of OXY for all tested CNTs. For the case of MWCNTs, 1h of ultrasonication increased the adsorption capacity by 44.6%. As for CIP, the ultrasonic treatment did not enhance the overall adsorption, especially for the case of DWCNTS. The Brouers-Sotolongo equation was the best fitting isotherm model. The highest removal capacities were registered using SWCNTS for both antibiotics (724 mg/g for CIP and 554 mg/g for OXY). In addition, ethanol was the solvent that induced the highest desorption percent for the case of CIP (52% for MWCNTs). However, the desorption of OXY was negligible for all solvents (maximum 3.3% for DWCNTs using ethanol).

Multi-residue enantiomeric analysis of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in environmental samples by chiral liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry detection

Enantiomeric profiling of chiral pharmacologically active compounds (PACs) in the environment has hardly been investigated. This manuscript describes, for the first time, a multi-residue enantioselective method for the analysis of human and veterinary chiral PACs and their main metabolites from different therapeutic groups in complex environmental samples such as wastewater and river water. Several analytes targeted in this paper have not been analysed in the environment at enantiomeric level before. These are aminorex, carboxyibuprofen, carprofen, cephalexin, 3-N-dechloroethylifosfamide, 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxycarbamazepine, dihydroketoprofen, fenoprofen, fexofenadine, flurbiprofen, 2-hydroxyibuprofen, ifosfamide, indoprofen, mandelic acid, 2-phenylpropionic acid, praziquantel and tetramisole. The method is based on chiral liquid chromatography utilising a chiral α1-acid glycoprotein column and tandem mass spectrometry detection. Excellent chromatographic separation of enantiomers (Rs≥1.0) was achieved for chloramphenicol, fexofenadine, ifosfamide, naproxen, tetramisole, ibuprofen and their metabolites: aminorex and dihydroketoprofen (three of four enantiomers), and partial separation (Rs = 0.7-1.0) was achieved for ketoprofen, praziquantel and the following metabolites: 3-N-dechloroethylifosfamide and 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxycarbamazepine. The overall performance of the method was satisfactory for most of the compounds targeted. Method detection limits were at low nanogram per litre for surface water and effluent wastewater. Method intra-day precision was on average under 20% and sample pre-concentration using solid phase extraction yielded recoveries >70% for most of the analytes. This novel, selective and sensitive method has been applied for the quantification of chiral PACs in surface water and effluent wastewater providing excellent enantioresolution of multicomponent mixtures in complex environmental samples. It will help with better understanding of the role of individual enantiomers in the environment and will enable more accurate environmental risk assessment.

Effects of various factors of ultrasonic treatment on the extraction recovery of drugs from fish tissues

In the present research, a combined extraction method of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) in conjunction with solid phase extraction (SPE) was applied to isolation and enrichment of selected drugs (metoprolol, ticlopidine, propranolol, carbamazepine, naproxen, acenocumarol, diclofenac, ibuprofen) from fish tissues. The extracted analytes were separated and determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (UHPLC-UV) technique. The selectivity of the developed UHPLC-UV method was confirmed by comparison with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis. The important parameters, such as composition of type and pH of extraction solvent, solid/liquid rate volume of extraction solvent and number of extraction cycles were studied. The ultrasonic parameters, such as time, power and temperature of the process were optimized by using a half-fraction factorial central composite design (CCD). The mixture of 10 mL of methanol and 7 mL of water (pH 2.2) (three times) was chosen for the extraction of selected drug from fish tissues. The results showed that the highest recoveries of analytes were obtained with an extraction temperature of 40°C, ultrasonic power of 300 W, extraction time of 30 min. Under the optimal conditions, the linearity of method was 0.12-5.00 μg/g. The determination coefficients (R(2)) were from 0.979 to 0.998. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) for the extracted compounds were 0.04-0.17 μg/g and 0.12-0.50 μg/g, respectively. The recoveries were between 85.5% and 115.8%.

Rapid Determination of Clenbuterol in Pork by Direct Immersion Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed for rapid analysis of clenbuterol in pork for the first time. In this work, a low-cost homemade 44 µm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) SPME fiber was employed to extract clenbuterol in pork. After extraction, derivatization was performed by suspending the fiber in the headspace of the 2 mL sample vial saturated with a vapor of 100 µL hexamethyldisilazane. Lastly, the fiber was directly introduced to GC-MS for analysis. All parameters that influenced absorption (extraction time), derivatization (derivatization reagent, time and temperature) and desorption (desorption time) were optimized. Under optimized conditions, the method offered a wide linear range (10-1000 ng g(-1)) and a low detection limit (3.6 ng g(-1)). Finally, the method was successfully applied in the analysis of pork from the market, and recoveries of the method for spiked pork were 97.4-105.7%. Compared with the traditional solvent extraction method, the proposed method was much cheaper and fast.

LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination and Quantitation of Penicillin G and Its Metabolites in Citrus Fruits Affected by Huanglongbing

In this study, we developed and validated a method for the extraction, identification, and quantitation of penicillin G and its metabolites (penilloic acid and penillic acid) in a variety of citrus fruits by employing sequential liquid/liquid and solid-phase extraction techniques in conjunction with UHPLC-MS/MS. Two product ion transitions per analyte were required for identification, which contributes to a high degree of selectivity. Corrected recoveries of penicillin G using an isotopically labeled internal standard were 90-100% at fortification levels of 0.1, 0.25, 1, and 10 ng/g. Absolute recoveries for penillic acid and penilloic acid were 50-75% depending on the matrix used. The limit of detection (LOD) of penicillin G and its metabolites was found to be 0.1 ng/g when 2 g of citrus was extracted. This method is useful in determining residue levels of penicillin G and its metabolites in citrus trees infected with huanglongbing bacteria after antibiotic treatment.

Rapid and easy multiresidue method for the analysis of antibiotics in meats by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

This study involved the development of a multiresidue method for the rapid analysis of 43 antibiotics in meats using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This method was performed using dispersive-solid phase extraction, which is able to analyze 20 samples within 2 h. All compounds were determined simultaneously on a C18 separation column with gradient elution. Validation of the analytical method was performed by carrying out linearity, limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, and recovery tests in different meat products. The validation criteria were set according to AOAC International and Japanese validation guidelines. The linearity of each compound was almost the coefficient of determination (r(2)) > 0.98. The LOQs of all tested antibiotics were <10 μg/kg. The results verify that this method is capable of quantitative analysis of 36, 33, and 37 compounds in beef, pork, and chicken, respectively. This method can be used for rapid and easy multiresidue screening of antibiotics for three meats (pork, beef, and chicken).

Antibiotic residue monitoring results for pork, chicken, and beef samples in Vietnam in 2012-2013

A monitoring plan of residual antibiotics in food of animal origin was conducted in Vietnam from 2012 to 2013. Meat samples were collected from slaughterhouses and retail stores in Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. A total of 28 antibiotics were analyzed using a LC-MS/MS screening method. Sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, and tilmicosin were detected in some of the samples. Sulfaclozine and fluoroquinolones were mainly detected in chicken samples, and sulfamethazine was mainly detected in pork samples. High levels of sulfonamide residues, ranging between 2500 and 2700 μg/kg sulfaclozine and between 1300 and 3600 μg/kg sulfamethazine, were present in two chicken and three pork samples, respectively. Tilmicosin was detected at ranges of 150-450 μg/kg in 10 chicken samples. Positive percentages were 17.3, 8.8, and 7.4% for chicken, pork, and beef, respectively, for an average of 11.9%. The results suggest an appropriate withdrawal period after drug administration had not been observed in some livestock.

Novel dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction combined with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine morpholine residues in citrus and apples

This paper presents a new analytical method for the determination of morpholine residues in citrus and apples using a novel dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (DMSPE), followed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Samples were extracted with 1% formic acid in acetonitrile/water (1:1, v/v) and then cleaned up using the DMSPE procedure. Morpholine from the extract was adsorbed to a polymer cation exchange sorbent and eluted with ammonium hydroxide/acetonitrile (3:97, v/v) through a 1 mL syringe with a 0.22 μm nylon syringe filter. All of the samples were analyzed by UHPLC-HRMS/MS on a Waters Acquity BEH hydrophilic interaction chromatography column using 0.1% formic acid and 4 mM ammonium formate in water/acetonitrile as the mobile phase with gradient elution. The method showed good linearity (R(2) > 0.999) in the range of 1-100 μg/L for the analyte. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation values of morpholine were 2 and 5 μg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries of morpholine from the citrus and apple samples spiked at three different concentrations (5, 20, and 100 μg/kg) were in a range from 78.4 to 102.7%.

[Purification technology of procymidone residues in ginseng extracts by macroporous resins]

The macroporous resin separation technology has been mainly applied in the enrichment of saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and other ingredients, and used in the removal of heavy metal impurities and pesticide residues in recent years. This paper focuses on the synthesis of the new-type macroporous adsorption resin LKS-11 according to the molecular structure characteristics of procymidone. Specifically, the selective absorptive property and other advantages of macroporous resin were utilized to analyze the procymidone removal efficiency in ginseng extracts from different sources. The type of macroporous resins, absorptive property and desorption conditions were observed respectively by static and dynamic adsorption methods to determined the optimum process conditions. According to the results, LKS-11 showed a good absorptive property to procymidone in ginseng extracts and provided a theoretical basis for studies on the removal of procymidone residues from ginseng extracts by using macroporous adsorption resin. Because of no secondary pollution on samples, low production and operation costs, high procymidone removal efficiency and high product recovery rate, this method is suitable to be applied in production.

The determination of pharmaceutical residues in cooked and uncooked marine bivalves using pressurised liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

An optimised and validated method for the determination of pharmaceutical residues in blue mussels (Mytilus spp.) is presented herein, as well as an investigation of the effect of cooking (by steaming) on any potential difference in human exposure risk. Selected pharmaceuticals included two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac and mefenamic acid), an antibiotic (trimethoprim), an anti-epileptic (carbamazepine) and a lipid regulator (gemfibrozil). An in vivo exposure experiment was set up in the laboratory in which mussels were exposed either directly by injection (10 ng) or daily through spiked artificial seawater (ASW) over 96 h. In liquid matrices, pharmaceutical residues were either determined using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) directly, or in combination with solid-phase extraction (SPE) for analyte concentration purposes. The extraction of pharmaceuticals from mussel tissues used an additional pressurised liquid extraction step prior to SPE and LCMS/MS. Limits of quantification of between 2 and 46 ng L−1 were achieved for extracted cooking water and ASW, between 2 and 64 μg L−1 for ASW in exposure tanks, and between 4 and 29 ng g−1 for mussel tissue. Method linearities were achieved for pharmaceuticals in each matrix with correlation coefficients of R2>0.975. A selection of exposed mussels was also cooked (via steaming) and analysed using the optimised method to observe any effect on detectable concentrations of parent pharmaceuticals present. An overall increase in pharmaceutical residues in the contaminated mussel tissue and cooking water was observed after cooking.

Signal suppression can bias selected reaction monitoring ratios. Implications for the confirmation of positive findings in residue testing

RATIONALE

Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) ratios based on two or more transitions are commonly used to confirm the identity of a suspected finding in residue testing. International norms like the EU directive commission decision 2002/657/EC (CD) require the use of such ratios to prove the unequivocal identification of a particular compound detected at trace level (confirmation of a suspected residue).

METHODS

In this study, the relative abundances of different precursor ions (e.g. protonated molecule, solvent adducts, characteristic fragment ions or multiply charged ions) derived from the same analyte molecule were found to be differently (asymmetrically) affected by matrix-related signal suppression effects. This observation was made when analyzing veterinary drug residues (colistin and amoxicillin) in animal tissue extracts.

RESULTS

The term 'asymmetric signal suppression' was coined since different ionic species produced from the same analyte molecule are differently (asymmetrically) suppressed by co-eluting matrix compounds. In the case of the colistin assay, the extent of asymmetric signal suppression is such that the measured SRM ratios lie beyond the defined (CD) tolerances. Hence, the compound present in a sample cannot be confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

The [M+H](+) ion may be the most commonly used precursor ion in liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray operated in the positive ionization mode. However, the absence of a sufficiently intensive confirmation transition frequently leads to the selection of another precursor ion to be utilized for the confirmation transition. The SRM ratio derived from such transitions should not be compared to the SRM ratio derived from pure standard solutions but spiked blank matrix extracts.

Preparation of activated carbons from Iris tectorum employing ferric nitrate as dopant for removal of tetracycline from aqueous solutions

Ferric nitrate was employed to modify activated carbon prepared from Iris tectorum during H₃PO₄ activation and ability of prepared activated carbon for removal of tetracycline (TC) was investigated. The properties of the activated carbon samples with or without ferric nitrate, ITAC-Fe and ITAC, were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Boehm's titration. The results showed that mixing with iron increased the BET surface area, total pore volume and the adsorption capacity as compared to the original carbon. FTIR and Boehm's titration suggested that ITAC-Fe was characteristic of more acidic functional groups than ITAC. Adsorption of TC on both samples exhibited a strong pH-dependent behavior and adsorption capacity reduced rapidly with the increasing solution pH. The adsorption kinetics agreed well with the pseudo-second-order model and the adsorption isotherms data were well described by Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacity of 625.022 mg/g for ITAC and 769.231 mg/g for ITAC-Fe. The present work suggested that ITAC-Fe could be used to remove tetracycline effectively from aqueous solutions.

Evaluation of a multi-class, multi-residue liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for analysis of 120 veterinary drugs in bovine kidney

Traditionally, regulatory monitoring of veterinary drug residues in food animal tissues involves the use of several single-class methods to cover a wide analytical scope. Multi-class, multi-residue methods (MMMs) of analysis tend to provide greater overall laboratory efficiency than the use of multiple methods, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) of targeted drug analytes usually provides exceptional performance even for complicated sample extracts. In this work, an LC-MS/MS method was optimized and validated in a test of 120 drug analytes from 11 different classes in bovine kidney. The method used 10 ml of 4/1 acetonitrile/water for extraction of 2 g samples and cleanup with hexane partitioning. Quantitative and qualitative performance was assessed for the analytes at fortification levels of 10, 50, 100, and 200 ng/g. With the method, 66 drugs gave 70-120% recovery with ≤ 20% RSD at all levels over the course of 3 days. At the 200 ng/g level, 89 drugs met these same standards. Limits of detection were ≤ 10 ng/g for 109 of the analytes in the kidney matrix in validation experiments. Qualitatively, MS/MS identification criteria were set that ion ratios occur within ± 10% (absolute value) from those of the analyte reference standards. At the 10 ng/g level, 57% of the drugs met the identification criteria, which improved to 84% at the 200 ng/g level. The method serves as an efficient and useful additional option among the current monitoring methods available.

High throughput detection of tetracycline residues in milk using graphene or graphene oxide as MALDI-TOF MS matrix

In this work, a new pre-analysis method for tetracyclines (TCs) detection from the milk samples was established. As a good accomplishment for the existing accurate quantification strategies for TCs detection, the new pre-analysis method was demonstrated to be simple, sensitive, fast, cost effective, and high throughput, which would do a great favor to the routine quality pre-analysis of TCs from milk samples. Graphene or graphene oxide was utilized, for the first time, as a duel-platform to enrich and detect the TCs by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). All together, four TCs were chosen as models: tetracycline, oxytetracycline, demeclocycline, and chlortetracycline. Due to the excellent electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties, graphene and graphene oxide were successfully applied as matrices for MALDI-TOF MS with free background inference in low mass range. Meanwhile, graphene or graphene oxide has a large surface area and strong interaction force with the analytes. By taking the advantage of these features, TCs were effectively enriched with the limit of detection (LOD) as low as 2 nM.

[Photochemical degradation of ofloxacin in aqueous solution]

The photodegradation of ofloxacin (OFLX) was investigated in distilled water, artificial seawater and natural seawater exposed to high-pressure mercury lamp and xeon lamp. The photolysis of OFLX was affected by various factors including light sources, initial concentrations, acetone and surfactants. The photoreaction rate of OFLX under high pressure mercury lamp was much faster than that under xeon lamp, conforming to the first-order kinetics behavior. Expose to the same light intensity, The photodegradation rate of OFLX was the quickest in natural seawater, followed by artificial seawater. The initial concentrations of OFLX were 2, 4 and 6 mg x L(-1), the rate constants were 0.163, 0.140 and 0.132 min(-1), respectively. The photodegradation rates of OFLX in seawater decreased along with its initial concentration. The addition of acetone could accelerate the photoreactions of OFLX, The constants of the reaction rate range from 0.084 2-0.102 min(-1). A positive correlation was found between the photosensitive efficiency and the added concentration of acetone. On the contrary, the addition of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS) and Tween-20 (TW-20) inhibited the photodegradation of OFLX, of which concentrations were all 5 mg x L(-1). In addition, toxicity tests with Isochrysis galbana 8701 showed higher risk of intermediate products generated from photolysis of OFLX. The toxicity of products decreased along with the reaction.

Occurrence of antibiotics in eight sewage treatment plants in Beijing, China

The occurrence, removal efficiency and seasonal variation of 22 antibiotics, including eight fluoroquinolones, nine sulfonamides and five macrolides, were investigated in eight sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Beijing, China. A total of 14 antibiotics were detected in wastewater samples, with the maximum concentration being 3.1 μg L(-1) in the influent samples and 1.2 μg L(-1) in the effluent samples. The most frequently detected antibiotics were ofloxacin, norfloxacin, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin and roxithromycin; of these, the concentration of ofloxacin was the highest in most of the influent and effluent samples. Eighteen antibiotics were detected in the sludge samples, with concentrations ranging from 1.0×10(-1) to 2.1×10(4) μg kg(-1). The dominant antibiotics found in the sludge samples were the fluoroquinolones, with ofloxacin having the highest concentration in all the sludge samples. The antibiotics could not be removed completely by the STPs, and the mean removal efficiency ranged from -34 to 72%. Of all the antibiotics, the fluoroquinolones were removed comparatively more efficiently, probably due to their adsorption to sludge. Seasonal variation of the antibiotics in the sludge samples was also studied. The concentrations of antibiotics in winter were higher than in spring and autumn. Since the total levels of the fluoroquinolones detected in the influent samples were lower than the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of 8.0 μg L(-1), the residues of these antibiotics would be unlikely to have adverse effects on microorganisms involved in sewage treatment processes.

[Determination of the thyreostats in animal muscle tissue by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry]

BACKGROUND

The residues ofthyreostats must not be present in the edible animal tissues. The proposed in the EU minimum required performance limit (MPRL) in the animal tissues is 10 microg/kg. This implies the decision limit (CCalpha) and decision capability (CCbeta) of the analytical methods used for the determination of these compounds lower than 10 microg/kg.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at the development, basing on the literature data and own studies the analytical method allowing for the identification and quantification of five thyreostats: tapazole (TAP), thiouracil (TU), methylotiouracil (MTU), propylothiouracil (PTU) and phenylotiouracil (FTU)) in the bovine muscle tissue, which would meet the criteria set in the Commission Decision No 2002/657/EC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The developed method used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The sample was extracted and cleaned using the matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) method. The LC was equipped with column Luna C18 Phenomenex. Dimetylotiouracyl was used as internal standard. The samples were fortified at levels: 5, 10 and 20 microg/kg. The method was validated according to the criteria laid down in Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC.

RESULTS

At the levels, mean relative recoveries was in the range 90 - 109% and repeatability (CV %) was less than 10%. Decision limit (CCalpha) and detection capability (CCbeta) calculated for all thyreostats were below the recommended minimum required performance limit (MRPL) - 10 microg/kg.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed and validated LC-ESI-MS/MS method allows for the identification and quantification of five thyreostats in the bovine muscle tissue in the quantities below 10 microg/kg. Analytical procedure meets the criteria of Commission Decision No 2002/657/EC.

Removal of pharmaceutical residue in municipal wastewater by DAF (dissolved air flotation)-MBR (membrane bioreactor) and ozone oxidation

Growing attention is given to pharmaceutical residue in the water environment. It is known that pharmaceuticals are able to survive from a series of wastewater treatment processes. Concerns regarding pharmaceutical residues are attributed to the fact that they are being detected in water and sediment environment ubiquitously. Pharmaceutical treatment using a series of wastewater treatment processes of the DAF (dissolved air flotation)-MBR (membrane bioreactor)-ozone oxidation was conducted in the study. DAF, without addition of coagulant, could remove COD(cr) (chemical oxygen demand by Cr) up to over 70%, BOD 73%, SS 83%, T-N 55%, NH₄(+) 23%, and T-P 65% in influent of municipal wastewater. Average removal rates of water quality parameters by the DAF-MBR system were very high, e.g. COD(cr) 95.88%, BOD₅ 99.66%, COD(mn) (chemical oxygen demand by Mn) 93.63%, T-N 69.75%, NH₄-N 98.46%, T-P 78.23%, and SS 99.51%, which satisfy effluent water quality standards. Despite the high removal rate of the wastewater treatment system, pharmaceuticals were eliminated to be about 50-99% by the MBR system, depending on specific pharmaceuticals. Ibuprofen was well removed by MBR system up to over 95%, while removal rate of bezafibrate ranged between 50 and 90%. With over 5 mg/l of ozone oxidation, most pharmaceuticals which survived the DAF-MBR process were removed completely or resulted in very low survival rate within the range of few micrograms per litre. However, some pharmaceuticals such as bezafibrate and naproxen tended to be resistant to ozone oxidation.

Removal and formation of chlorinated triclosan derivatives in wastewater treatment plants using chlorine and UV disinfection

Triclosan, a common antimicrobial agent, may react during the disinfection of wastewater with free chlorine to form three chlorinated triclosan derivatives (CTDs). This is of concern because the CTDs may be photochemically transformed to tri- and tetra-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins when discharged into natural waters. In this study, wastewater influent, secondary (pre-disinfection) effluent, and final (post-disinfection) effluent samples were collected on two occasions each from two activated sludge wastewater treatment plants, one using chlorine disinfection and one using UV disinfection. Concentrations of triclosan and three CTDs were determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with isotope dilution methodology. Triclosan and the CTDs were detected in every influent sample at levels ranging from 453 to 4530 and 2 to 98 ng L(-1), respectively, though both were efficiently removed from the liquid phase during activated sludge treatment. Triclosan concentrations in the pre-disinfection effluent ranged from 36 to 212 ng L(-1), while CTD concentrations were below the limit of quantification (1 ng L(-1)) for most samples. In the treatment plant that used chlorine disinfection, triclosan concentrations decreased while CTDs were formed during chlorination, as evidenced by CTD levels as high as 22 ng L(-1) in the final effluent. No CTDs were detected in the final effluent of the treatment plant that used UV disinfection. The total CTD concentration in the final effluent of the chlorinating treatment plant reached nearly one third of the triclosan concentration, demonstrating that the chlorine disinfection step played a substantial role in the fate of triclosan in this system.

Biodegradation and bio-sorption of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs using immobilized cell process

In the present study, the removal mechanisms of four antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethazine, and trimethoprim) and four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen) in immobilized cell process were investigated using batch reactors. This work principally explores the individual or collective roles of biodegradation and bio-sorption as removal routes of the target pharmaceuticals and the results were validated by various experimental and analytical tools. Biodegradation and bio-sorption were found as dominant mechanisms for the drug removal, while volatilization and hydrolysis were negligible for all target pharmaceuticals. The target pharmaceuticals responded to the two observed removal mechanisms in different ways, typically: (1) strong biodegradability and bio-sorption by acetaminophen, (2) strong biodegradability and weak bio-sorption by sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, ibuprofen and naproxen, (3) low biodegradability and weak bio-sorption by sulfamethazine and ketoprofen, and (4) low biodegradability and medium bio-sorption by trimethoprim. In the sorption/desorption experiment, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole and sulfadimethoxine were characterized by strong sorption and weak desorption. A phenomenon of moderate sorption and well desorption was observed for sulfamethazine, trimethoprim and naproxen. Both ibuprofen and ketoprofen were weakly sorbed and strongly desorbed.