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Monitoring of selected pharmaceuticals in surface waters of Croatia

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Abstract

Sulfonamides, macrolides, torasemide, fumagillin, and chloramphenicol were simultaneously analyzed in surface water samples by using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). In the pre-concentration and clean-up process, the pH value of samples and volume of the solvent for extraction of analytes from cartridge were optimized. Extraction recoveries were high with values in the range from 62 to 115%. Limits of quantification (LoQ) were in the range from 0.02 to 0.2 μg L−1. Repeatability of the method was evaluated at LoQ and expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD). Calculated RSDs were low with values in the range from 2.4 to 14.5%. The method was successfully applied for analysis of surface water real samples. Samples were collected along the rivers in Croatia on four sampling sites in 2012 in Danube catchment areas, 19 sampling sites in Danube and Adriatic catchment areas in 2013, and another 19 places in 2014. Altogether, 20 target compounds were analyzed in 148 water samples and detected in 31 samples in range (0.1–5.3) μg L−1 or in 20.1% of samples. The most frequent and highest concentrations were detected for macrolide antibiotics. This is the first attempt of such monitoring in surface waters in Croatia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Mirogojska, 16, Zagreb, Croatia

    Martina Ivešić, Adela Krivohlavek, Sonja Tolić & Sandra Šikić

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, A. Kovačića 1, Zagreb, Croatia

    Irena Žuntar

  3. Hrvatske vode, Ulica grada Vukovara, 220, Zagreb, Croatia

    Valerija Musić

  4. Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ivan Pavlić, Andrea Bursik & Nives Galić

Authors
  1. Martina Ivešić
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  2. Adela Krivohlavek
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  3. Irena Žuntar
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  4. Sonja Tolić
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  5. Sandra Šikić
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  6. Valerija Musić
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  7. Ivan Pavlić
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  8. Andrea Bursik
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  9. Nives Galić
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Correspondence to Adela Krivohlavek or Nives Galić.

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Responsible editor: Ester Heath

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Ivešić, M., Krivohlavek, A., Žuntar, I. et al. Monitoring of selected pharmaceuticals in surface waters of Croatia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 23389–23400 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9894-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9894-4

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