Solid-phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous enantioselective determination of representative proton-pump inhibitors in water samples.

This report describes, for the first time, the simultaneous enantioselective determination of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs-omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole) in environmental water matrices based on solid-phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SPE-DLLME) and chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The optimized results of SPE-DLLME were obtained with PEP-2 column using methanol-acetonitrile (1/1, v/v) as elution solvent, dichloroethane, and acetonitrile as extractant and disperser solvent, respectively. The separation and determination were performed using reversed-phase chromatography on a cellulose chiral stationary phase, a Chiralpak IC (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column, under isocratic conditions at 0.6 mL min(-1) flow rate. The analytes were detected in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Isotopically labeled internal standards were used to compensate matrix interferences. The method provided enrichment factors of around 500. Under optimal conditions, the mean recoveries for all eight enantiomers from the water samples were 89.3-107.3 % with 0.9-10.3 % intra-day RSD and 2.3-8.1 % inter-day RSD at 20 and 100 ng L(-1) levels. Correlation coefficients (r (2)) ≥ 0.999 were achieved for all enantiomers within the range of 2-500 μg L(-1). The method detection and quantification limits were at very low levels, within the range of 0.67-2.29 ng L(-1) and 2.54-8.68 ng L(-1), respectively. This method was successfully applied to the determination of the concentrations and enantiomeric fractions of the targeted analytes in wastewater and river water, making it applicable to the assessment of the enantiomeric fate of PPIs in the environment. Graphical Abstract Simultaneous enantioselective determination of representative proton-pump inhibitors in water samples.