Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Influence of Matrix When Tracing Cytostatic Drugs in Urban Wastewater: A Validated SPE-LC-MS/MS-Based Method

Corpa, Cristina LU ; García-Martínez, Josep LU ; López-Heras, Isabel ; Spégel, Peter LU ; Monte, M. Concepción and Blanco, Ángeles (2025) In ACS ES and T Water
Abstract
Cytostatic pharmaceuticals are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may affect aquatic ecosystems. Their quantification is challenging due to variations in wastewater characteristics, which influence analytical performance. An analytical procedure has been developed, based on solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, for the simultaneous quantification of 15 anticancer compounds. Influent and effluent samples from 14 Spanish WWTPs were analyzed, and 11 out of 15 target compounds were found at quantifiable levels (ng/L). These findings underscore the need for new WWTP treatments and the further development of analytical techniques capable of monitoring trace... (More)
Cytostatic pharmaceuticals are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may affect aquatic ecosystems. Their quantification is challenging due to variations in wastewater characteristics, which influence analytical performance. An analytical procedure has been developed, based on solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, for the simultaneous quantification of 15 anticancer compounds. Influent and effluent samples from 14 Spanish WWTPs were analyzed, and 11 out of 15 target compounds were found at quantifiable levels (ng/L). These findings underscore the need for new WWTP treatments and the further development of analytical techniques capable of monitoring trace contaminants, in line with new regulatory demands. To carry out a comprehensive study of matrix influence on the analytical process, a novel physicochemical clustering approach was applied to group WWTPs, facilitating the validation of the method and widening its application to assess the load of micropollutants emitted to natural aquatic environments. Results show the influence of matrix variability on determining the concentration of cytostatics at both the influent and effluent of WWTPs. The interferences due to the matrix effect can be minimized by optimizing the dilution of the different samples. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Emerging contaminants, cancer pharmaceuticals, solid-phase extraction, Matrix effect
in
ACS ES and T Water
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
ISSN
2690-0637
DOI
10.1021/acsestwater.5c00477
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
31e3717a-d6df-4e15-97a9-f0120388f885
date added to LUP
2025-10-20 15:03:19
date last changed
2025-10-30 10:58:53
@article{31e3717a-d6df-4e15-97a9-f0120388f885,
  abstract     = {{Cytostatic pharmaceuticals are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may affect aquatic ecosystems. Their quantification is challenging due to variations in wastewater characteristics, which influence analytical performance. An analytical procedure has been developed, based on solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, for the simultaneous quantification of 15 anticancer compounds. Influent and effluent samples from 14 Spanish WWTPs were analyzed, and 11 out of 15 target compounds were found at quantifiable levels (ng/L). These findings underscore the need for new WWTP treatments and the further development of analytical techniques capable of monitoring trace contaminants, in line with new regulatory demands. To carry out a comprehensive study of matrix influence on the analytical process, a novel physicochemical clustering approach was applied to group WWTPs, facilitating the validation of the method and widening its application to assess the load of micropollutants emitted to natural aquatic environments. Results show the influence of matrix variability on determining the concentration of cytostatics at both the influent and effluent of WWTPs. The interferences due to the matrix effect can be minimized by optimizing the dilution of the different samples.}},
  author       = {{Corpa, Cristina and García-Martínez, Josep and López-Heras, Isabel and Spégel, Peter and Monte, M. Concepción and Blanco, Ángeles}},
  issn         = {{2690-0637}},
  keywords     = {{Emerging contaminants; cancer pharmaceuticals; solid-phase extraction; Matrix effect}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{ACS ES and T Water}},
  title        = {{Influence of Matrix When Tracing Cytostatic Drugs in Urban Wastewater: A Validated SPE-LC-MS/MS-Based Method}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00477}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/acsestwater.5c00477}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}