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First inter-laboratory comparison exercise for the determination of anticancer drugs in aqueous samples

  • Fate and effects of the residues of anticancer drugs in the environment
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Abstract

The results of an inter-laboratory comparison exercise to determine cytostatic anticancer drug residues in surface water, hospital wastewater and wastewater treatment plant effluent are reported. To obtain a critical number of participants, an invitation was sent out to potential laboratories identified to have the necessary knowledge and instrumentation. Nine laboratories worldwide confirmed their participation in the exercise. The compounds selected (based on the extent of use and laboratories capabilities) included cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, etoposide, methotrexate and cisplatinum. Samples of spiked waste (hospital and wastewater treatment plant effluent) and surface water, and additional non-spiked hospital wastewater, were prepared by the organising laboratory (Jožef Stefan Institute) and sent out to each participant partner for analysis. All analytical methods included solid phase extraction (SPE) and the use of surrogate/internal standards for quantification. Chemical analysis was performed using either liquid or gas chromatography mass (MS) or tandem mass (MS/MS) spectrometry. Cisplatinum was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A required minimum contribution of five laboratories meant that only cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate and etoposide could be included in the statistical evaluation. z-score and Q test revealed 3 and 4 outliers using classical and robust approach, respectively. The smallest absolute differences between the spiked values and the measured values were observed in the surface water matrix. The highest within-laboratory repeatability was observed for methotrexate in all three matrices (CV ≤ 12 %). Overall, inter-laboratory reproducibility was poor for all compounds and matrices (CV 27–143 %) with the only exception being methotrexate measured in the spiked hospital wastewater (CV = 8 %). Random and total errors were identified by means of Youden plots.

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Acknowledgement

This work was financially supported by the EU through the EU FP7 projects CytoThreat (Fate and effects of cytostatic pharmaceuticals in the environment and the identification of biomarkers for an improved risk assessment on environmental exposure project; grant agreement No.: 265264) and SOLUTIONS (Solutions for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources management; grant agreement No. 603437), by the Slovenian Research Agency (Program groups P1-0143, Project L1-5457, Project J1-6744 and a Young researcher grant to M. Č.), and by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Groups “2014SGR418-Water and Soil Quality Unit” and “2014SGR291-ICRA”). The work reflects only the authors’ views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The authors would also like to thank Prof. Walter Giger and Dr. Valeria Dulio for their support with networking and Dr. Francesco Busetti for his willingness to participate in this exercise and Dr. David Heath for providing language help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ester Heath, Marjeta Česen, Janez Ščančar & Tina Kosjek

  2. International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ester Heath, Marjeta Česen, Janez Ščančar & Tina Kosjek

  3. Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Noelia Negreira, Miren Lopez de Alda & Damià Barceló

  4. Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, Edifici H2O, Parc Científic i Tecnològic, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Laura Ferrando-Climent & Damià Barceló

  5. Faculty of Science, RECETOX, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, Czech Republic

    Lucie Blahova

  6. National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore, Singapore

    Tung Viet Nguyen

  7. Eurofins Omegam, H.J.E. Wenckebachweg 120, 1114 AD, Amsterdam-Duivendrecht, The Netherlands

    Mohamed Adahchour

  8. IWW Water Centre, Moritzstrasse 26, 45476, Muelheim, Germany

    Achim Ruebel

  9. CEH Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

    Neville Llewellyn

  10. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Srdjan Novaković

  11. Central Wastewater Treatment Plant Ljubljana VO-KA, Cesta v prod 100, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Vesna Mislej

  12. Wastewater Treatment Plant Domžale-Kamnik, Študljanska cesta 91, 1230, Domžale, Slovenia

    Marjeta Stražar

Authors
  1. Ester Heath
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  2. Marjeta Česen
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  3. Noelia Negreira
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  4. Miren Lopez de Alda
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  5. Laura Ferrando-Climent
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  6. Lucie Blahova
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  7. Tung Viet Nguyen
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  8. Mohamed Adahchour
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  9. Achim Ruebel
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  10. Neville Llewellyn
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  11. Janez Ščančar
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  12. Srdjan Novaković
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  13. Vesna Mislej
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  14. Marjeta Stražar
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  15. Damià Barceló
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  16. Tina Kosjek
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ester Heath.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Heath, E., Česen, M., Negreira, N. et al. First inter-laboratory comparison exercise for the determination of anticancer drugs in aqueous samples. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 14692–14704 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4982-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4982-9

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