Simultaneous determination of cyanobacterial hepato- and neurotoxins in water samples by ion-pair supported enrichment and HPLC-ESI-MS-MS

Cyanobacterial neurotoxins, such as anatoxin-a and saxitoxin, as well as he patotoxins including microcystins and nodularin were simultaneously determi ned in water samples by ion-pair supported, solid phase extraction (SPE) an d reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to UV and tandem mass spectr ometry (RP-LC-UV; MS-MS). With quantification limits in water samples of ap proximately 50 ng L-1 for the microcystins (MC-LR, -YR, -RR, -LA), nodulari n, and anatoxin-a and 630 ng L-1 for saxitoxin the method is well suited fo r surveillance of the proposed WHO guidelines for cyanobacterial toxins. MS detection permits, unlike the commonly used UV detection, unambiguous iden tification and accurate quantification of cyanobacterial toxins even in hig hly matrix-polluted, water samples.