We present the reliable and accurate quantitative analysis of contaminants at the pg/mL level in drinking water using the Thermo Scientific EQuan MAX Plus LC-MS system coupled to the Thermo Scientific TSQ Endura triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Excellent reproducibility was shown for the target compounds in tap water using 1 mL injections at 0.37× maximum effluent concentration.

There is growing environmental concern regarding the health impact of trace levels of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in water resources. In response, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published Method 1694, which determines dozens of PPCPs in water, soil, sediment, and biosolids by HPLC-MS/MS. We demonstrate a progressive approach to analyzing PPCPs in environmental sources of water at the ng/L level with online sample preparation using small volumes of water, thus saving time and reducing the cost of analysis.

The Thermo Scientific HPLC system is applied for the analysis of basic drugs. The separation is performed on a Thermo Scientific Acclaim 120 C18 column, with UV detection at 220 nm. This application is used as a routine lot qualification test for the Acclaim 120 C18 column stationary phase. Low silanol activity preserves the good peak shape for amitriptyline as the sample concentration decreases (amitriptyline mass for trace A is 1200 ng, for trace B is 400 ng, and for trace C 94 ng).

The Thermo Scientific HPLC system is applied for the analysis of beta-blockers. The separation is performed using a Thermo Scientific Acclaim 120 C8 column, with UV detection at 214 nm.

Demonstration of the advantages of using the Thermo Scientific Accucore Vanquish C18+ 1.5 μm column and Thermo Scientific Vanquish UHPLC system for the fast analysis of beta blockers. The advanced capabilities of the Vanquish UHPLC system allow the Accucore Vanquish columns to be operated at high flow rates that enable development of rapid analytical methods while maintaining high performance.