Miniaturized solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for determination of endocrine disruptors in drinking water

A simple and rapid method based on miniaturized solid-phase microextraction (mini-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed to identify eight endocrine disruptors (atrazine, diethylstilbestrol, hexestrol, estrone, estradiol, ethinylestradiol, norgestrel, and megestrel) in drinking water samples. Extraction parameters was optimized and further analyses was performed using them. The optimum temperature for the determination of endocrine disruptors in water was 80 degrees C; the optimum extraction and preincubation times were 60 and 20 min, respectively. The studied linear range of endocrine disruptors was 10.0-1000 mu g mL(-1). The limit of detection ranged from 0.020 to 0.087 mu g mL(-1). The correlation coefficient (r(2)) was 0.96-0.99. This research introduces a novel method for detecting analytes at extremely low concentrations, as well as the possibility of combining several detection technologies to give high-accuracy qualitative and quantitative determination of endocrine disruptors in aqueous samples.

Automated summary

A simple and rapid method based on miniaturized solid-phase microextraction (mini-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed to identify eight endocrine disruptors in drinking water samples. The method showed high sensitivity and accuracy, and can be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of analytes at extremely low concentrations.