Broad range analysis of endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals using gas chromatography and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry Rebecca A. Trenholm * , Brett J. Vanderford, Janie C. Holady, David J. Rexing, Shane A. Snyder Water Quality Research and Development Department, Southern Nevada Water Authority, 1350 Richard Bunker Avenue, Henderson, NV 89015, United States Received 27 February 2006; received in revised form 28 June 2006; accepted 3 July 2006 Available online 1 September 2006 Abstract Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been globally detected in impacted natural waters. The detection of trace quantities of EDCs and PPCPs in the environment is of great concern since some of these compounds have known physiological responses at low concentrations. EDCs can have a wide range of polarities, acidic and basic moieties, and exist in trace quantities, which often requires numerous complex extractions, large sample collection volumes, and multiple instrumental analyses. A comprehensive method has been developed allowing for the analysis of 58 potential EDCs in various water matrices using a single solid-phase extraction (SPE) of a 1 L sample with subsequent analyses using both gas chromatography and liquid chromatography, each coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS and LC–MS/MS). Instrument detection limits ranged between 0.12–7.5 pg with corresponding method reporting limits of 1–10 ng l 1 in water. Recoveries for most compounds were between 50% and 112% with good reproducibility (RSD 6–22%). Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Endocrine disruptor; Solid-phase extraction; GC–MS/MS; LC–MS/MS 1. Introduction Research of compounds that can mimic the natural hor- mones of animals, referred to as endocrine disrupting com- pounds (EDCs), has been reported for over 70 years and has recently been linked to physiological effects in animals (Snyder et al., 2003). Likewise, several pharmaceuticals have been ubiquitously detected in wastewater effluents from various locations around the world (Halling-Sorensen et al., 1998; Daughton and Ternes, 1999; Ternes et al., 2001; Miao et al., 2002; Bruchet et al., 2002; Kolpin et al., 2002; Vanderford et al., 2003; Anderson et al., 2005). The continued improvements in analytical methods have allowed researchers to investigate the fate and transport of EDCs, with particular attention focused on the occurrence of natural and synthetic steroids in the aquatic envi- ronment as a result of municipal wastewater discharge (Stumm-Zollinger and Fair, 1965; Tabak et al., 1981; Ternes et al., 1999a,b; Huang and Sedlak, 2001; Lee and Liu, 2002; D’Ascenzo et al., 2003). Trace concentrations of steroids have been shown to induce physiological responses in organisms exposed to wastewater effluents (Jobling et al., 1998; Kramer et al., 1998; Routledge et al., 1998; Snyder et al., 2004; Brennen et al., 2006; Hoek- stra et al., 2006). Many surface waters that provide raw drinking water are impacted by WWTP effluent, thus rais- ing public concern over possible human health impacts from contaminated drinking water. Therefore, information 0045-6535/$ - see front matter Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.07.004 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 702 856 3658; fax: +1 702 856 3647. E-mail address: beck.trenholm@snwa.com (R.A. Trenholm). www.elsevier.com/locate/chemosphere Chemosphere 65 (2006) 1990–1998