Analysis of microplastics-sorbed endocrine-disrupting compounds in pellets and microplastic fragments from beaches

Microplastics present in marine ecosystems have become a major environmental issue. This problem is due to not only the harmful effects of microplastics on exposed organisms, but also their ability adsorb organic compounds, which can combined effect. Steroid hormones are an important group endocrine-disrupting compounds that display moderately lipophilic behavior and can, subsequently, be adsorbed microplastics. For this reason, it necessary determine type contaminants microplastic waste. In order investigate issue, work presents analytical method based ultrasound-assisted extraction ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UAE-UHPLC-MS/MS) presence 13 steroid pellets fragments. The different variables affecting process, such as solvent volume time, were optimized. showed excellent recoveries (above 80% for most compounds), satisfactory repeatability values limits detection (LoD) between 0.07 27.5 ng·g−1. Once optimized, developed was applied fragment samples collected from eight beaches Canary Islands (Spain). samples, at least one hormone detected up seven some samples. concentrations studied ranged < LoQ 157