Determination of steroid sex hormones and related synthetic compounds considered as endocrine disrupters in water by fully automated on-line solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-diode array detection

In this study, a procedure for the simultaneous determination in water of s ix estrogens (estradiol, estriol, estrone, ethynyl estradiol, mestranol, an d diethylstilbestrol) and three progestogens (progesterone, norethindrone, and levonorgestrel), selected based on their abundance in the human body, t heir estrogenic potency, and the extent of their use in contraceptive pills , was developed. The procedure, based on the on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) of the water sample and subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography /diode array detection (LC/DAD), allows for the monitoring of up to 16 samp les in a completely automated, unattended way. The SPE experimental conditi ons were optimized and the polymeric cartridge PLRP-S selected out of four different cartridges evaluated. The chromatographic separation was carried out on a LiChrospher 100 RP-18 and detection was performed at 200, 225, and 240 nm. The applicability of the method to the analysis of various environ mental water samples, including drinking water, groundwater, surface water and sewage treatment plant effluents, was evaluated. Method detection limit s were in the range 10-20 ng/l. The method precision and accuracy were sati sfactory with recovery percentages ranging from 96 to 111% and relative sta ndard deviations lower than 3%. The technique is also considerably cheap, f ast, and easy, and, therefore, very adequate for routing monitoring. To the authors' knowledge it constitutes the first work describing a fully automa ted, on-line methodology for the continuous monitoring of these compounds i n water. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.