LC-HRMS method for study of pharmaceutical uptake in plants: effect of pH under aeroponic condition

Global climate changes cause water scarcity in many regions, and the sustainable use of recycled water appears crucial, especially in agriculture. However, potentially hazardous compounds such as pharmaceuticals can enter the food chain and pose severe risks. This paper aims to study the presence of selected pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) and their metabolites in crops grown in aeroponic conditions and evaluate the potential of PhAC plant uptake. A solvent extraction with an acidified mixture of acetonitrile and water followed by LC-HRMS was developed and validated for quantifying nine pharmaceuticals and their nine metabolites in three plants. We aimed for a robust method with a wide linear range because an extensive concentration range in different matrices was expected. The developed method proved rapid and reliable determination of selected pharmaceuticals in plants in the wide concentration range of 10 to 20,000 ng g(−1) and limit of detection range 0.4 to 9.0 ng g(-1). The developed method was used to study the uptake and translocation of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in plant tissues from an aeroponic experiment at three different pH levels. Carbamazepine accumulated more in the leaves of spinach than in arugula. On the other hand, sulfamethoxazole and clindamycin evinced higher accumulation in roots than in leaves, comparable in both plants. The expected effect of pH on plants’ uptake was not significant. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-023-29035-1.