METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF NEUTRAL-DRUGS AS WELL AS BETA-BLOCKERS AND BETA(2)-SYMPATHOMIMETICS IN AQUEOUS MATRICES USING GC MS AND LC/MS/MS/

An analytical method has been developed which allows the determination of 22 different neutral and weakly basic drugs belonging to several d ifferent medicinal classes like antiphlogistics, betablockers, beta(2) -sympathomimetics, lipid regulators, antiepileptic agents, psychiatric drugs and vasodilators in waste water as well as in river and drinkin g water. A method including solid phase extraction, derivatization by silylation and detection by GC/MS permits detection down to 5 ng/L. Th e recovery rates mostly exceeded 70%. However, the determination of ph enazone, carbamazepine, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and pentoxiphylli ne is frequently disturbed by organic co-extractants in real samples o f rivers and waste waters. Therefore, a time saving alternative method has been developed, combining solid phase extraction (as an enrichmen t step) together with detection by LC-electrospray/MS/MS allowing the measurement of 5 neutral drugs. Detection limits down to 10 ng/L have been achieved even for organically highly contaminated waters like sew age treatment plant effluents.