Biodegradation of Pharmaceutical Residues Investigated by SPE-GC/ITD-MS and On-Line Derivatization

Solid-phase extraction, on-line derivatization, and measurement by ion trap mass spectrometry (ITD-MS) were used to investigate the biological degradation of pharmaceutical residues (clofibric acid, ibuprofen, diclofenac). The results of the single steps of sample pretreatment and analytical determination are reported. MS/MS measurements were performed on an ITD-MS by selecting collision induced dissociation of the molecular ions (M+) as parent ions to defined daughter ions. A pilot sewage plant and biofilm reactors operating under oxic and anoxic conditions were run as model systems with synthetic sewage water containing 10 to 50 mg/L dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and pharmaceuticals in concentrations of 10 μg/L. Clofibric acid displayed its persistent character in all cases. The pilot sewage plant and the oxic biofilm reactor showed comparable results for diclofenac and ibuprofen, which both were partly degraded. These results can explain the occurrence of these substances in sewage effluents and in the aquatic environment. A high degree of degradation was found especially for ibuprofen in the oxic biofilm reactor, which was attributed to adaptation of the biofilm to the residue. Two metabolites of ibuprofen could be identified on the basis of their mass spectra and comparison with literature data, viz. hydroxyibuprofen and carboxyibuprofen.