Plenary Lecture
Selected Analytical Challenges in Fate Assessment of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment
Professor Piotr Stepnowski
University of Gdansk
Poland
E-mail: piotr.stepnowski@ug.edu.pl
Abstract: The presence of pharmaceutical residues in various environmental matrices is an issue of growing concern. Their widespread occurrence in aqueous and soil environments has been proved by a number of studies. Recent development and continual improvement of the advanced instruments and analytical methodologies have made possible detection of these compounds at low concentration levels in different environmental matrices. Although impressive improvements have been observed methodological challenges are still numerous. The lecture focuses on selected analytical challenges in the determination of pharmaceutical presence, distribution and fate in the environment. Selected case studies are presented including applicability of LC-MS for detection of sulfonamides in the natural waters, use of speed disks in preconcentration of NSAID’s from marine waters as well as method development with GC-MS systems for determination of estrogenic hormones. Several applications of optimized analytical methodologies are also showed including ecotoxicological profiling, soil sorption as well as degradability studies.
Brief Biography of the Speaker: TBA