Development and validation of QuEChERS-based extraction for quantification of nine micropollutants in wastewater treatment plant

A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method was established for simultaneous quantification of eight pharmaceutical molecules (2-hydroxyibuprofen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, propranolol, ofloxacin, oxazepam, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine) caffeine in environmental matrices. Analysis performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS-MS). Quantification using the 13C internal standard each molecule. Two methods were firstly optimized on freeze-dried waste activated sludge then applied validated real complex matrices, which have contrasted physicochemical properties, i.e., clarified wastewater primary sludge. The combination acetate buffer MgSO4 (protocol A) citrate Na2SO4 B) found necessary to recover nine targeted compounds. Adding a higher salts quantity compared is crucial increase ionic strength aqueous solution obtain comparable extraction recoveries molecules. two times solvent volume phase leads increased absolute recovery all both protocols. After demonstration final protocol’s performance control matrix, its robustness tested matrices interest. As result, proposed detection exhibit good reproducibility, high sensitivity, reliability.