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

Corpa, C. and García-Martinez, J. and López-Heras, I. and Spégel, P. and Montes, M.C. and Blanco, A. Influence of Matrix When Tracing Cytostatic Drugs in Urban Wastewater: A Validated SPE-LC-MS/MS-Based Method. ACS ES&T Water, 5. pp. 6330-6341.

[img] Archive (Open access)
2025_Corpa et al. ACS ES&T Water.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
Download (5Mb)
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00477

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.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Q Science > QD Chemistry
Depositing User: Dr. María Isabel López Heras
Date Deposited: 25 Nov 2025 07:21
Last Modified: 25 Nov 2025 07:21
URI: http://eprints.imdea-agua.org:13000/id/eprint/1781

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
IMDEA AGUA is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.