Papers by MARIA JOSE GOMEZ RAMOS
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2022
There is an increasing concern about the use of synthetic acaricides to fight the ectoparasitic m... more There is an increasing concern about the use of synthetic acaricides to fight the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Natural products such as formic acid (FA) and oxalic acid (OA) have emerged as a possible alternative control strategy. However, given the difficulty of analysing these highly polar compounds and the lack of robust and reliable methods, there are very few studies of the concentration and distribution of these natural acaricides in the beehive compartments. We present a reliable and simple analytical methodology, based on sample extraction with modified quick polar pesticide (QuPPe) methods followed by ion chromatography coupled to a quadrupole Orbitrap mass analyser for the analysis of FA and OA in honeybees, honey, beeswax, and beebread. The developed methods have been used in a field study for the evaluation of the presence and distribution of FA and OA in the beehive products, as well as in adult bees and bee brood samples, before, during, and up to 3 months aft...
Environmental Advances, 2021
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Science of The Total Environment, 2018
Integrated chemical exposure assessment of coastal green turtle foraging grounds on the Great Bar... more Integrated chemical exposure assessment of coastal green turtle foraging grounds on the Great Barrier Reef a*
The Science of the total environment, 2017
Chemical contamination poses a threat to ecosystem, biota and human health, and identifying these... more Chemical contamination poses a threat to ecosystem, biota and human health, and identifying these hazards is a complex challenge. Traditional hazard identification relies on a priori-defined targets of limited chemical scope, and is generally inappropriate for exploratory studies such as explaining toxicological effects in environmental systems. Here we present a non-target high resolution mass spectrometry environmental monitoring study with multivariate statistical analysis to simultaneously detect biomarkers of exposure (e.g. xenobiotics) and biomarkers of effect in whole turtle blood. Borrowing the concept from clinical chemistry, a case-control sampling approach was used to investigate the potential influence of xenobiotics of anthropogenic origin on free-ranging green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from a remote, offshore 'control' site; and two coastal 'case' sites influenced by urban/industrial and agricultural activities, respectively, on the Great Barrier Ree...
Water Research, 2013
This study aims to assess the removal of a set of non-polar pollutants in biologically treated wa... more This study aims to assess the removal of a set of non-polar pollutants in biologically treated wastewater using ozonation, ultraviolet (UV 254 nm low pressure mercury lamp) and visible light (Xe-arc lamp) irradiation as well as visible light photocatalysis using Ce-doped TiO 2. The compounds tracked include UV filters, synthetic musks, herbicides, insecticides, antiseptics and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Raw wastewater and treated samples were analyzed using stir-bar sorptive extraction coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (SBSE-CG x GC-TOF-MS). Ozone treatment could remove most pollutants with a global efficiency of over 95% for 209 µM ozone dosage. UV irradiation reduced the total concentration of the sixteen pollutants tested by an average of 63% with high removal of the sunscreen 2-ethylhexyl trans-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), the synthetic musk 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetrahydronaphthalene (tonalide, AHTN) and several herbicides. Visible light Ce-TiO 2 photocatalysis reached ~70% overall removal with particularly high efficiency for synthetic musks. In terms of power usage efficiency expressed as nmol kJ-1 , the results showed that ozonation was by far the most efficient process, tenfold over Xe/Ce-TiO 2 visible light photocatalysis, the latter being in turn considerably more efficient than UV irradiation. In all cases the efficiency decreased along the treatments due to the lower reaction rate at lower pollutant concentration. The use of photocatalysis greatly improved the efficiency of visible light irradiation. The collector area per order decreased from 9.14 ± 5.11 m 2 m-3 order-1 for visible light irradiation to 0.16 ± 0.03 m 2 m-3 order-1 for Ce-TiO 2 photocatalysis. The toxicity of treated wastewater was assessed using the green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Ozonation reduced the toxicity of treated wastewater, while UV irradiation and visible light photocatalysis limited by 20-25% the algal growth due to the accumulation of reaction by-products. Three transformation products were identified and tracked along the treatments.
Journal of Chromatography A, 2009
In this study we developed a GC-MS method for the analysis of priority pollutants, personal care ... more In this study we developed a GC-MS method for the analysis of priority pollutants, personal care products (PCPs) and other emerging contaminants in waters using large volume injection with backflushing. Analyses are performed in the SIM/scan mode, so that in addition to the targeted organic contaminants, this method allows the simultaneous screening of non-target compounds. The scan data are analysed using Deconvolution Reporting Software (DRS) which screens the results for 934 organic contaminants. Deconvolution helps identify contaminants that are buried in the chromatogram by co-extracted materials and significantly reduces chromatographic resolution requirements, allowing shorter analysis times. All compounds have locked retention times and we can continually update and extend the mass spectral library including new compounds. Linearity and limits of detection in SIM and full-scan mode were studied. Method detection limits (MDLs) in effluent wastewater ranged in most of the cases from 1 to 36 ng/L in SIM mode and from 4 to 66 ng/L in full-scan mode; while in river water from 0.4 to 14 and 2-29 ng/L in SIM and full-scan mode, respectively. We obtained a linearity of the calibration curves over two orders of magnitude. The method has been applied to the screening of a large number of organic contaminants-not only to a subset of targets-in urban wastewaters from different wastewater treatment plants and also in river waters. Most of the target compounds were detected at concentration levels ranging from 11 to 8697 ng/L and from 7 to 1861 ng/L in effluent wastewater and river waters, respectively. Additionally, a group of 12 new compounds were automatically identified using the AMDIS and NIST libraries. Other compounds, such as the 4-amino musk xylene, a synthetic fragrance metabolite, which was not included in the databases, but has been manually searched in the full-scan chromatograms.
Journal of Chromatography A, 2005
A novel analytical approach has been developed and evaluated for the quantitative analysis of a s... more A novel analytical approach has been developed and evaluated for the quantitative analysis of a selected group of widely used pesticides (dimethoate, simazine, atrazine, diuron, terbuthylazine, methyl-parathion, methyl-pirimiphos, endosulfan I, endosulfan II, endosulfan sulphate, cypermethrin and deltamethrin), which can be found at trace levels in olive oil and olives. The proposed methodology is based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD), (with a preliminary liquid-liquid extraction in olive oil samples) using aminopropyl as sorbent material with a clean-up performed in the elution step with Florisil, followed by mass spectrometric identification and quantitation of the selected pesticides using both gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) in positive ionization mode. The recoveries obtained (with mean values between 85 and 115% (obtained at different fortification levels) with RSD values below 10% in most cases, confirm the usefulness of the proposed methodology for the analyses of these kind of complex samples with a high fat content. Moreover, the obtained detection limits, which were below 5 g kg −1 by LC-MS analyses and ranged from 10 to 60 g kg −1 by GC-MS meet the requirements established by the olive oil pesticide regulatory programs. The method was satisfactorily applied to different olives and olive oil samples.
Chemosphere, 2009
The ozonation of caffeine in water was performed at different pH values, including acidic conditi... more The ozonation of caffeine in water was performed at different pH values, including acidic conditions. Kinetic experiments were conducted by adding pulses of a concentrated caffeine solution to ozone saturated water. The results showed a rapid decrease of ozone concentration during the first 15 s after injection, followed by a gradual decline at a much slower rate. The data were fitted to a second order kinetic model with rate constants increasing from 0.25 to 1.05 M-1 s-1 for pH in the 3-10 range. The initial ozone consumption per mole of ozonated caffeine was greater at high pH values, reflecting a higher ozone decomposition rate. The decomposition of ozone was positively affected by the concentration of caffeine, an effect that could be attributed to the presence of a reaction intermediate from the ozonation of caffeine that behaved as a strong promoter of ozone decomposition. A study of the transformation products identified by LC-TOF-MS was carried out, which permitted a tentative degradation pathway to be proposed persistent by-products to be identified at both pH 3 and 8. Most transformation products were the result of the opening of the imidazole ring after breaking caffeine's N7C8 double bond.
Chemosphere, 2017
Rapid screening and identification of chemical hazards in surface and drinking water using high r... more Rapid screening and identification of chemical hazards in surface and drinking water using high resolution mass spectrometry and a case-control filter, Chemosphere (2017),
Environmental science. Processes & impacts, Jan 24, 2017
Many transformation products (TPs) from organic micropollutants are not included in routine envir... more Many transformation products (TPs) from organic micropollutants are not included in routine environmental monitoring programs due to limited knowledge of their occurrence and fate. An efficient method to identify and prioritize critical compounds in terms of environmental relevance is needed. In this study, we applied a strategic screening approach based on a case-control concept to identify TPs formed along wastewater-impacted rivers. Time-integrated samples were collected over one week at both ends of a river stretch downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfall and were analyzed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography interfaced with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QToF-MS/MS). The screening procedure of the high-resolution MS (HRMS) datasets consisted of three major steps: (i) screening for parent compounds (PCs) attenuated along the stretch; (ii) prediction of potential TPs from these PCs; and (iii) screening for TPs from this list with an ...
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2020
The application of non-target analysis (NTA), a comprehensive approach to characterize unknown ch... more The application of non-target analysis (NTA), a comprehensive approach to characterize unknown chemicals, including chemicals of emerging concern has seen a steady increase recently. Given the relative novelty of this type of analysis, robust quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) measures are imperative to ensure quality and consistency of results obtained using different workflows. Due to fundamental differences to established targeted workflows, new or expanded approaches are necessary; for example to minimize the risk of losing potential substances of interest (i.e. false negatives, Type II error). We present an overview of QA/QC techniques for NTA workflows published to date, specifically focusing on the analysis of environmental samples using liquid chromatography coupled to HRMS. From a QA/QC perspective, we discuss methods used for each step of analysis: sample preparation, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and data processing. We then finish with a series of recommendations to improve the quality assurance of NTA workflows.
Chemosphere, 2017
Discovery of novel per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at a fire fighting training ground ... more Discovery of novel per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at a fire fighting training ground and preliminary investigation of their fate and mobility, Chemosphere (2017),
Environmental Science & Technology, 2015
Fluorinated surfactant-based aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) are made up of per-and polyfluorin... more Fluorinated surfactant-based aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) are made up of per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), and are used to extinguish fires involving highly flammable liquids. The use of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and other perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in some AFFF formulations has been linked to substantial environmental contamination. Recent studies have identified a large number of novel and infrequently reported fluorinated surfactants in different AFFF formulations. In this study, a strategy based on a case-control approach, using quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS/MS) and advanced statistical methods has been used to
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2014
This study describes a comprehensive strategy for detecting and elucidating the chemical structur... more This study describes a comprehensive strategy for detecting and elucidating the chemical structures of expected and unexpected transformation products (TPs) from chemicals found in river water and effluent wastewater samples, using liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS), with post-acquisition data processing and an automated search using an in-house database. The efficacy of the mass defect filtering (MDF) approach to screen metabolites from common biotransformation pathways was tested, and it was shown to be sufficiently sensitive and applicable for detecting metabolites in environmental samples. Four omeprazole metabolites and two venlafaxine metabolites were identified in river water samples. This paper reports the analytical results obtained during 2 years of monitoring, carried out at eight sampling points along the Henares River (Spain). Multiresidue monitoring, for targeted analysis, includes a group of 122 chemicals, amongst which are pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides and PAHs. For this purpose, two analytical methods were used based on direct injection with a LC-ESI-QTOF-MS system and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with bi-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with a time-of-flight spectrometer (GCxGC-EI-TOF-MS). Keywords Transformation products (TPs). LC-ESI-QTOF-MS. Post-acquisition data processing. Automated search. Targeted and non-targeted screening. Monitoring Abbreviations 4-AAA 4-Acetylaminoantipyrine 4-FAA 4-Formylaminoantipyrine CBZ Carbamazepine CE Collision energy DP Declustering potential GCxGC-EI-TOF-MS Bi-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to electron ionization time of flight spectrometer GSH Glutathione conjugation HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography IDA Information-dependent acquisition
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2013
RATIONALE: Polycyclic musks have become a concern due to their bioaccumulation potential and ecot... more RATIONALE: Polycyclic musks have become a concern due to their bioaccumulation potential and ecotoxicological effects. The HHCB transformation product (TP)
Water Science & Technology, 2011
The system ozone and hydrogen peroxide was used to reclaim wastewater from the secondary clarifie... more The system ozone and hydrogen peroxide was used to reclaim wastewater from the secondary clarifier from a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid-Spain). The assays were performed by bubbling a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone, with ∼24 g Nm−3 of ozone concentration, through a volume of wastewater samples for 20 minutes at 25°C . The removal of dissolved micropollutants such as Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) and Organic Carbon (TOC) was enhanced by adding periodic pulses of hydrogen peroxide while keeping pH above 8.0 throughout the runs. Removal efficiency ratios in the range of 7–26 mg O3/mg TOC and 0.24 mg O3 /ng micropollutants at 5 minutes of ozonation were assessed as reference data to reclaim wastewater from STP. The relation between the extent of TOC removed and ozone doses used was related by a second-order kinetic model in which the time-integrated ozone-hydrogen peroxide concentration was included.
Water Research, 2012
Synthetic musks have been reported in wastewaters at concentrations as high as tens of micrograms... more Synthetic musks have been reported in wastewaters at concentrations as high as tens of micrograms per litre. The two most significant polycyclic musk fragrance compounds are 1,
Water Research, 2010
This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright
Water Research, 2008
The photochemical behaviour of three relevant metabolites of the analgesic and antipyretic drug d... more The photochemical behaviour of three relevant metabolites of the analgesic and antipyretic drug dipyrone, 4-methylaminoantipyrine (4-MAA), 4-formylaminoantipyrine (4-FAA) and 4-acetylaminoantipyrine (4-AAA), was evaluated under simulated solar irradiation (Suntest system). For 4-MAA, different aqueous solutions (synthetic seawater, freshwater and Milli-Q water) as well as different operational conditions were compared. According to the experimental results, 4-MAA resulted as being an easily degraded molecule by direct photolysis, with half-life times (t 1/2) ranging from 0.12 to 0.58 h, depending on the irradiation conditions. Faster degradation was observed in synthetic waters, suggesting that the photolysis was influenced by the salt composition of the waters. However, no effect on the degradation rate was observed by the presence of natural photosensitizers (dissolved organic matter, nitrate ions). 4-FAA and 4-AAA showed slower photodegradation kinetics, with t 1/2 of 24 and 28 h, respectively. A study of photoproduct identification was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) (ESI positive mode), which allowed us to propose a tentative photodegradation pathway for 4-MAA and the identification of persistent by-products in all the cases. Finally, the application of an acute toxicity test (Daphnia magna) showed an increase in toxicity during the photolytic process, a consequence of the formation of toxic photoproducts.
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Papers by MARIA JOSE GOMEZ RAMOS