Simultaneous determination of multiresidues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in surface water samples in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: a comparative study
摘要
The UHPLC–MS/MS analytical method was used to assess the occurrence of 52 pharmaceutical substances in surface water samples from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Of the 29 surface water samples analysed, 21 contained at least one quantifiable analyte. This study represents a comprehensive comparative analysis of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in surface waters of these neighbouring countries and reveals remarkable regional differences in the level of contamination and the occurrence of compounds, which depend mainly on population density, altitude, and flow. Median concentrations of key analytes obtained across all sampling locations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia included 481 ng dm−3 for caffeine, 58.7 ng dm−3 for diclofenac, 159 ng dm−3 for gabapentin, and 181 ng dm−3 for iomeprol. The findings contribute new knowledge about the transboundary environmental burden of pharmaceuticals and support efforts to assess and reduce potential environmental and health risks.
Graphical Abstract