Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the multi-residue analysis of organic UV filters and their transformation products in the aquatic environment

UV-absorbing compounds are environmental pollutants of recent concern and the requirements for analytical methods are mainly driven by the low concentrations found in aqueous and solid environmental samples. In the current article, a review of the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based methods published so far for the determination of organic UV filters in the environment is presented. UV filters included in this overview belong to different families and are benzophenones, camphor derivatives, cinnamates, crylenes, benzimidazole derivatives, p-aminobenzoic acid and derivatives, dibenzoyl methane derivatives, salicylates and triazines, as well as their main transformation products. Advanced aspects of current LC-MS/MS methodology, including sample preparation and matrix effects, for the analysis of water, sludge, sediments and biota samples are discussed.