A Year-long Survey of Items to be Surveyed in Rivers by Targeted Screening Analysis Using GC/MS and LC/MS and Their Prioritization for Detailed Analysis

Abstract

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan, designated 222 compounds or a group of compounds as “Items to be Surveyed”, for which information on risks to the aquatic environment is required. However, progress in surveying their presence has been limited owing to the cost constraint associated with developing individual analytical methods for each compound and analyzing them. To address this issue, we developed targeted screening analysis techniques based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to accelerate the survey. As a result of tests using standard chemicals, 154 compounds were found to be detectable by at least one of the techniques. River water samples were collected bimonthly over a year from four prefectures, and measured environmental concentrations were compared with toxicity evaluation values. Environmental concentrations were successfully obtained for 112 compounds. From the results, 55 and 6 candidate substances were identified as potential risks for aquatic life and human health, respectively. Prioritizing these compounds for further quantitative analysis expedites the assessment of Items to be Surveyed.