detailed. The methods most commonly used in separation, identification, and quantification of NSAIDs in water are described. These methods include, in particular,
gas and liquid chromatography systems and capillary electrophoresis that are
coupled to different detectors. It was concluded that it is necessary to develop new
methodologies that allow continuous monitoring at even lower costs than presently
available.
Keywords Chromatographic methods, MS and MS/MS spectrometric detectors,
Natural and wastewater, NSAIDs analysis
1 Introduction
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a heterogeneous group of
medications with different chemical structures but with similar effects. These
drugs are recommended to relieve fever and pain associated with colds, influenza,
and arthritis [1]. They constitute the first therapeutic step in the World Health
Organization (WHO) analgesic scale [2], which is why they are the most used
medications in veterinary and human medicine [3–5].
NSAIDs have become emerging pollutants in natural and wastewater [3–7] in
very varied concentrations depending on the number of inhabitants of the localities
and the activities carried out therein. In most cases, they are not completely eliminated in conventional treatment plants [4, 6, 8], so they accumulate in bodies of
water at very low concentrations, but over time, they can accumulate in the environment and become harmful to human and animal health. Such concentrations
require sensitive analytical methods with low detection limits. This chapter gives an
overview of the most used analytical methods for NSAIDs detection today.
2 NSAIDs as Emerging Pollutants
Emerging pollutants (EP) are compounds whose presence in the environment is not
considered significant in terms of concentration and distribution and therefore have
gone unnoticed for many years [9]. Many of them are not subject to government
regulations [10, 11] since there are not enough data available on their impact on the
human and animal health and ecosystem status although it has been shown that they
can potentially have an appreciable ecological impact and cause damage to health of
humans and animals [9–12].
NSAIDs are the most widely used drugs worldwide in human and veterinary
medicine and are self-medicated [3–5, 13, 14]. It is estimated that they are responsible for 5–10% of medications prescribed annually [15] and have been recognized
as important emerging contaminants [3, 5, 12–16]. Waters from domestic waste
84
K. Isaac-Olivé et al.
gas and liquid chromatography systems and capillary electrophoresis that are
coupled to different detectors. It was concluded that it is necessary to develop new
methodologies that allow continuous monitoring at even lower costs than presently
available.
Keywords Chromatographic methods, MS and MS/MS spectrometric detectors,
Natural and wastewater, NSAIDs analysis
1 Introduction
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a heterogeneous group of
medications with different chemical structures but with similar effects. These
drugs are recommended to relieve fever and pain associated with colds, influenza,
and arthritis [1]. They constitute the first therapeutic step in the World Health
Organization (WHO) analgesic scale [2], which is why they are the most used
medications in veterinary and human medicine [3–5].
NSAIDs have become emerging pollutants in natural and wastewater [3–7] in
very varied concentrations depending on the number of inhabitants of the localities
and the activities carried out therein. In most cases, they are not completely eliminated in conventional treatment plants [4, 6, 8], so they accumulate in bodies of
water at very low concentrations, but over time, they can accumulate in the environment and become harmful to human and animal health. Such concentrations
require sensitive analytical methods with low detection limits. This chapter gives an
overview of the most used analytical methods for NSAIDs detection today.
2 NSAIDs as Emerging Pollutants
Emerging pollutants (EP) are compounds whose presence in the environment is not
considered significant in terms of concentration and distribution and therefore have
gone unnoticed for many years [9]. Many of them are not subject to government
regulations [10, 11] since there are not enough data available on their impact on the
human and animal health and ecosystem status although it has been shown that they
can potentially have an appreciable ecological impact and cause damage to health of
humans and animals [9–12].
NSAIDs are the most widely used drugs worldwide in human and veterinary
medicine and are self-medicated [3–5, 13, 14]. It is estimated that they are responsible for 5–10% of medications prescribed annually [15] and have been recognized
as important emerging contaminants [3, 5, 12–16]. Waters from domestic waste
84
K. Isaac-Olivé et al.