An ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry method for the screening of cianotoxins content in drinking water samples.

The incidence of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) and their potentially toxic secondary metabolites is increasing in Italy and worldwide and several studies demonstrated that the climate change may be playing a role. The method described in this work allows to detect simultaneously 21 cyanotoxins of different classes (including 12 Microcystins, 5 Microginins, 2 Cyanopeptolins, and 2 Anabaenopeptins) in water samples for human consumption by an Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Q-TOF mass spectrometer. Water samples were freezed, filtered, spiked with Nodularin used as internal standard (I.

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment as support for bathing waters profiling.

Profiling bathing waters supported by Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) is key to the WHO's recommendations for the 2020/2021 revision of the European Bathing Water Directive. We developed an area-specific QMRA model on four pathogens, using fecal indicator concentrations (E. coli, enterococci) for calculating pathogen loads.

Multi-residue Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-High resolution mass spectrometric method for the analysis of 21 cyanotoxins in surface water for human consumption.

The presence of cyanobacteria and their toxins in water used as drinking water or for recreational purposes may represent a risk for human health. This work describes the development of an advanced analytical method for simultaneous determination of 21 cyanotoxins (including Microcystins, Cyanopeptolins, Anabaenopeptins and Microginins) in drinking water based on Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Q-TOF mass spectrometer. Water samples, spiked with Nodularin as internal standard at 1 μg/L, were extracted using Carbograph 4 SPE cartridge and 10 μL of the extracted sample were injected into the UPLC-HRMS/MS system.

[Some considerations on revision of legislation Hygiene-sanitary for the management of swimming pools for swimming-pool use and the National Consultation of the Ministry of Health].

After over a decade the Italian regulation on hygiene and surveillance in swimming pools is under revision based on WHO guidelines and current laws from other European countries. The Ministry of Health is proposing an update of the Annex 1 that contains physical, chemical and microbiological indicators for monitoring swimming pool hygiene. The authors review current regulations and the new proposal for updating surveillance.

Deriving environmental quality standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and related short chain perfluorinated alkyl acids.

The evidence that in Northern Italy significant sources of perfluoroalkylacids (PFAA) are present induced the Italian government to establish a Working Group on Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for PFAA in order to include some of them in the list of national specific pollutants for surface water monitoring according to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). The list of substances included perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and related short chain PFAA such as perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), perfluoropentanoate (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) and perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), which is a substitute of perfluorooctanesulfonate. For each of them a dossier collects available data on regulation, physico-chemical properties, emission and sources, occurrence, acute and chronic toxicity on aquatic species and mammals, including humans.

Management of a toxic cyanobacterium bloom (Planktothrix rubescens) affecting an Italian drinking water basin: a case study.

An extraordinary bloom of Planktothrix rubescens, which can produce microcystins (MCs), was observed in early 2009 in the Occhito basin, used even as a source of drinking water in Southern Italy. Several activities, coordinated by a task force, were implemented to assess and manage the risk associated to drinking water contaminated by cyanobacteria. Main actions were: evaluation of analytical protocols for screening and confirmatory purpose, monitoring the drinking water supply chain, training of operators, a dedicated web site for risk communication.

A case study of sanitary survey on community drinking water supplies after a severe (post-Tsunami) flooding event.

This report presents a case study of a comprehensive sanitary survey on ca. 160 community drinking water supplies after a severe (post-Tsunami) flooding event in Sri Lanka. Sanitary inspection and microbiological and chemical water quality analyses were performed according to specifically-designed procedures established on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Determination of low-level acrylamide in drinking water by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed and validated to confirm and quantify acrylamide monomer (AA) in drinking water using [13C3] acrylamide as internal standard (IS). After a preconcentration by solid-phase extraction with spherical activated carbon, analytes were chromatographed on IonPac ICE-AS1 column (9 x 250 mm) under isocratic conditions using acetonitrile-water-0.1 M formic acid (43 + 52 + 5, v/v/v) as the mobile phase.

Quantitative determination of sufentanil in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and specific method for the quantification of sufentanil in human plasma by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry has been developed. Fentanyl was used as the internal standard. Rapid sample preparation involved purification on a C(18) solid-phase extraction column.

Confirmatory analysis of 17beta-boldenone, 17alpha-boldenone and androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione in bovine urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method for confirmatory analysis of 17beta-boldenone (17beta-BOL), 17alpha-boldenone (17alpha-BOL) and androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) in bovine urine was developed. [2H(2)]17beta-Testosterone (17beta-T-d(2)) was used as the internal standard. Sample preparation involved enzymatic hydrolysis and purification on a C(18) solid-phase extraction column.