Determination of polar pharmaceuticals in sewage water of Greece by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Sewage influents and effluents of different urban areas of Greece, were analyzed for polar pharmaceutical residues, used in human medicine. Drugs investigated were the anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac and ibuprofen, the metabolite of the drugs clofibrates used as blood lipid regulators, clofibric acid and the analgesics phenazone and propyphenazone. Analysis was carried out using capillary gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. The method used was involved solid phase extraction (C18) and derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. Diclofenac was detected in every sewage effluent sample.