Analytical techniques for isolation and characterization of PPCPs in wastewater

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are present in medicines, cleaning agents, cosmetics, detergents, nutritional supplements and skin care products. These compounds get washed from the body and enter water systems ultimately winding up in the wastewater and aquatic environment. Even after wastewater treatment, PPCPs are retained and discharged in to the environment. Some of the commonly used PPCPs like cholesterol, caffeine, 1, 7 dimethylxanthine have been found in the detectable concentrations in sanitary wastewater. The PPCPs of interest viz. Cholesterol, Caffeine and 1,7 dimethylxanthine were isolated using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid phase extraction system (SPE) analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) following USEPA 1694. The isolation and characterization of cholesterol, caffeine and 1,7 dimethylxanthine in simulated and field samples have been discussed in this paper.