Polar herbicides, pharmaceutical products, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and nonylphenol and its carboxylates and ethoxylates in surface and tap waters around Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy
Abstract
A survey of contamination of surface and drinking waters around Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy with polar anthropogenic environmental pollutants has been conducted. The target analytes were polar herbicides, pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics), steroid estrogens, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (including perfluorooctanoate PFOA), nonylphenol and its carboxylates and ethoxylates (NPEO surfactants), and triclosan, a bactericide used in personal-care products. Analysis of water samples was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) then liquid chromatography-triple-quadrupole (tandem) mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). By extraction of 1-L water samples and concentration of the extract to 100 microL, method detection limits (MDLs) as low as 0.05-0.1 ng L(-1) were achieved for most compounds. Lake-water samples from seven different locations in the Southern part of Lake Maggiore and eleven samples from different tributary rivers and creeks were investigated. Rain water was also analyzed to investigate atmospheric input of the contaminants. Compounds regularly detected at very low concentrations in the lake water included: caffeine (max. concentration 124 ng L(-1)), the herbicides terbutylazine (7 ng L(-1)), atrazine (5 ng L(-1)), simazine (16 ng L(-1)), diuron (11 ng L(-1)), and atrazine-desethyl (11 ng L(-1)), the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine (9 ng L(-1)), sulfamethoxazole (10 ng L(-1)), gemfibrozil (1.7 ng L(-1)), and benzafibrate (1.2 ng L(-1)), t…
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The high PFOS/PFHxS levels indicate strong localized contamination likely linked to historical industrial emissions and legacy uses of PFOS-containing products, including firefighting foams.
“indicating strong localized contamination likely linked to historical industrial emissions and legacy uses of PFOS-containing products, including firefighting foams [32,33,34,35].”
From Integrated Targeted and Suspect Screening Workflow for Identifying PFAS of Concern in Urban-Impacted Serbian Rivers (2026) · cites this paper as [34]
The comparative overview of maximum concentrations of targeted PFAS in European surface waters reveals pronounced spatial differences among freshwater systems across Europe.
“The comparative overview of maximum concentrations of targeted PFAS in European surface waters (Table S7) reveals pronounced spatial differences among freshwater systems across Europe”
From Integrated Targeted and Suspect Screening Workflow for Identifying PFAS of Concern in Urban-Impacted Serbian Rivers (2026) · cites this paper as [34]
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- Authors
- Loos, R., Wollgast, J., Huber, T., & Hanke, G.
- Affiliations
- European Commission (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Loos, Robert
- Venue
- Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
- Published
- 2007-01-03
- Volume
- 387
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1469-1478
- ISSN
- 1618-2642 (ISSN-L)
- 1618-2650
- OpenAlex
- W1964190160
- Cited by
- 308
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 27.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Keywords
- chemical compounds, PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylates, pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, steroid estrogens, triclosan, caffeine, atrazine, terbutylazine, simazine, diuron, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, gemfibrozil, drinking water contamination, surface water contamination, rainwater, atmospheric deposition, Lake Maggiore
- MeSH terms
- Caprylates, Carboxylic Acids, Chromatography, Liquid, Fluorocarbons, Fresh Water, Herbicides, Ions, Italy, Phenols, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Water Supply, Tandem Mass Spectrometry
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