Targeted LC-MS/MS method for quantifying respiratory pharmaceuticals in wastewater.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-28-2025
Abstract
Background: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) enables the population-level surveillance of molecular and chemical targets. Despite the high prevalence of respiratory diseases, there is a lack of sensitive analytical methods for detecting associated medications in complex wastewater matrices. Methods: We developed and validated a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS method using multiple reaction monitoring for 10 common respiratory pharmaceuticals. The workflow integrated freeze-drying for preconcentration, online solid-phase extraction for cleanup, and stable isotope-labeled internal standards (SILs) to compensate for matrix effects. Results: Detection and quantification limits ranged from 0.7 to 19 ng L−1 and 3 to 125 ng L−1, respectively, with recoveries of 82–194% and precision within 0.14–7.2% relative standard deviation. Matrix effects (64–228%) were effectively corrected using SILs. Application to 12 neighborhood-level wastewater samples detected 9 of the 10 target compounds, with 6 (albuterol, amoxicillin, azithromycin, cetirizine, diphenhydramine, and fexofenadine), detected above their quantification limits. Fexofenadine was the most abundant, reaching 3309 ng L−1. Conclusion: This robust, low-volume, high-throughput LC-MS/MS method enables the reliable detection of respiratory pharmaceuticals in wastewater, supporting WBE applications for pharmaceutical use surveillance.
Original Publication Information
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2026,12, 554-562
ThinkIR Citation
Gasparetto, R L.; Bickel, S; Yin, X; Smith, T; Bhatnagar, A; Holm, Rochelle; and Zhang, X, "Targeted LC-MS/MS method for quantifying respiratory pharmaceuticals in wastewater." (2025). Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 1034.
https://ir.library.louisville.edu/faculty/1034
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00894H
ORCID
0000-0001-8849-1390
