Environmental aspects of using gas chromatography for determination of pharmaceutical residues in samples characterized by different composition of the matrix

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting the possibilities of applying gas chromatography for the determination of pharmaceutical residues in different matrices. Section one of the study underscores the environmental advantages of employing GC for such analyses. Section two presents the innovative methods for determining pharmaceuticals in the environment. The last section discusses the results of the analysis of the GC and GC-MS market in Poland.According to the literature data, the described methods were applied for the analysis of real samples: wastewaters, surface waters, soil samples. The samples were collected from the Pomerania region and the Gulf of Gdańsk. The pharmaceuticals were determined in various environmental samples. The highest concentrations were found in raw wastewater, medium -in a treated wastewater, and the lowest -in surface water. The most frequently detected pharmaceuticals were: ibuprofen, paracetamol, diclofenac and naproxen, all belonging to NSAIDs.Furthermore, the results of the study of the Polish GC market indicate that a very limited number of entities are currently using chromatographic techniques, and pharmaceutical residues tests are exceptions, mainly due to the lack of the legal requirements in this fi eld and the lack of own laboratories.

The quantification of bisphenols and their analogues in wastewaters and surface water by an improved solid-phase extraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method

“…GC-MS was rarely used for the analysis of BPA and its analogues because of the need for silylation. Nevertheless, this process of derivatization could be beneficial for the quantification of organic pollutant traces in natural waters (Caban et al 2011 ; Sadkowska et al 2017 ). To date, the advantages and limitations of the application of GC/MS for the quantification of BPs have not been investigated.…”

Simultaneous Analysis of Paracetamol and Diclofenac Using MWCNTs-COOH Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode and Pulsed Potential Accumulation

“…The constantly growing production of medicines adversely affects the natural environment, primarily polluting water reservoirs. As studies show [ 5 , 6 ], after leaving a sewage treatment plant, the water still contains numerous active substances of pharmaceutical preparations, which then end up in the natural environment. The presence of commonly used pharmaceuticals in water ecosystems poses a threat to fish and other water organisms, as well as for human and animal health.…”

SPE-LC-PDA method development and application for the analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in river and wastewater samples from South Africa

“…The treatment process in this plant consists of chlorination, mechanical and biological treatment. Umbilo treatment plant is surrounded by residential and industrial areas and it is near the Umbilo River where the effluent from the treatment plant is discharged (Poulsen and Lauridsen, 2005).…”

“…The plant is also designed for an organic load of about 500 mg COD/L but the treatment plant receives up to 2 000 mg COD/L which indicates that most of the time the plant is overloaded with organic matter. This results in high concentrations being detected in the wastewater samples (Poulsen and Lauridsen, 2005). The concentrations of ibuprofen in the treatment plants were higher in the influents than in the effluents and this could be because a significant portion of ibuprofen is degraded during wastewater treatment resulting in low concentrations in the effluent.…”

“…The commonly used chromatographic methods for the determination of pharmaceutical compounds are high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). HPLC has been widely used when analysing acidic pharmaceuticals because they are non-volatile, while the derivatization step is needed when GC is to be used in order to increase the volatility of the compounds, which may lead to the formation of unwanted compounds during the process (Sadkowska et al, 2017).…”