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Simultaneous determination of multiclass emerging contaminants in aquatic plants by ultrasound-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion and GC-MS

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Abstract

A multiresidue method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 31 emerging contaminants (pharmaceutical compounds, hormones, personal care products, biocides, and flame retardants) in aquatic plants. Analytes were extracted by ultrasound-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (UA-MSPD) and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after sylilation, The method was validated for different aquatic plants (Typha angustifolia, Arundo donax, and Lemna minor) and a semiaquatic cultivated plant (Oryza sativa) with good recoveries at concentrations of 100 and 25 ng g−1 wet weight, ranging from 70 to 120 %, and low method detection limits (0.3 to 2.2 ng g−1 wet weight). A significant difference of the chromatographic response was observed for some compounds in neat solvent versus matrix extracts, and therefore, quantification was carried out using matrix-matched standards in order to overcome this matrix effect. Aquatic plants taken from rivers located at three Spanish regions were analyzed, and the compounds detected were parabens, bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, cyfluthrin, and cypermethrin. The levels found ranged from 6 to 25 ng g−1 wet weight except for cypermethrin that was detected at 235 ng g−1 wet weight in O. sativa samples.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria for the predoctoral fellowship (R. Aznar), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RTA2014-00012-C03-01) for financial support, and Isabel Villalón for her contribution to this work.

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Correspondence to José L. Tadeo.

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Responsible editor: Ester Heath

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Aznar, R., Albero, B., Sánchez-Brunete, C. et al. Simultaneous determination of multiclass emerging contaminants in aquatic plants by ultrasound-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion and GC-MS. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 7911–7920 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6327-8

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