Trace LC-MS Analyses of Hormones in Potable Water and in Ultrapure Water
sponsored by Merck Millipore
Anastasia Khvataeva-Domanov1, Matias Kopperi2, Jevgeni Parshintsev2, Patrik Appelblad3 and Stephane Mabic1
1Millipore S.A.S., Lab Solutions, Lab Water, rue Jacques Monod, 78280 St.-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
2University of Helsinki, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
3EMD Millipore, Lab Solutions, Advanced Analytics, Froesundaviks Alle 1, 169 03 Solna, Sweden
Hormones are examples of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) that have been detected in environmental and drinking waters around the world in trace amounts (1, 2). Even at very low concentrations, CECs could potentially exert ecotoxicological effects (3).
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is frequently used for trace hormone analysis to address concerns on environmental health and safety. These methods have very low detection limits, making it critical to avoid, or at least minimize, contamination during the experimental process. Indeed, components of the LC-MS instrument; the mass spectrometer (4); sample handling and manipulation (1); as well as the reagents and solvents used in the analyses, can all contribute to contamination issues.
Water plays an important role in LC-MS, where it is used extensively in the workflow. It is essential that the detected analytes come from the samples, and not from the water used in various steps of the experiment (such as in the preparation of samples, standards, blanks, and eluents; or rinsing/flushing of the HPLC and MS systems).
