ALS has expertise and experience providing analytical services for PPCPs in water, soil, sediment, and bio-solids.
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) refers to any product used by individuals for personal health or cosmetic reasons or used by agribusiness to enhance growth or health of livestock. PPCPs comprise a diverse collection of thousands of chemical substances, including prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, and cosmetics.
Every day millions of gallons of treated and untreated sewage and wastewater are discharged into the waterways of the world. This sewage contains varying concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, PPCP. As a result, we now have both hormones and pharmaceutical compounds at detectable levels in the environment. Examples include Ibuprofen and a number of hormones like Estradiol and Estrone present in water sources that may be used for consumption.
Recent studies have shown that many of these compounds at low concentrations can have negative effects on the endocrine systems of aquatic organisms. These compounds are collectively known as EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Compounds). Other concerns regarding PPCPs include contamination of drinking water, toxic effects on wildlife, and development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
EPA has included several hormones in the UCMR list that require monitoring in drinking water. Some state and federal agencies have monitoring requirements for PPCPs in wastewater reuse as well as wastewater discharge.
ALS has provided analytical services for PPCPs in water, soil, sediment, and bio-solids for over ten years and has analyzed thousands of samples. Analytical methods have been developed for these compounds using Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy/Mass Spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) with isotope dilution. These methods allow for the analysis of a broad array of PPCPs and EDCs with detection limits in the low ppt range for water matrices and low ppb range for solid matrices. We also utilize EPA methods 1694 and 539.
ALS standard list of parameters:
| PPCP Analytes | Method Reporting Limit | |
| Water (ng/L) | Solids (ug/Kg) | |
| Acetominophen | 5 | 5 |
| Androstenedione | 1 | 1 |
| Atrazine | 1 | 1 |
| Caffeine | 2 | 2 |
| Carbamazepine | 1 | 2 |
| DEET | 5 | 5 |
| Diazepam | 1 | 2 |
| Diclofenac | 2 | 2 |
| Dilantin | 5 | 5 |
| Gemfibrozil | 1 | 2 |
| Hydrocodone | 5 | 5 |
| Ibuprofen | 1 | 5 |
| Iopromide | 10 | 5 |
| Meprobamate | 1 | 1 |
| Methadone | 5 | 5 |
| Naproxen | 1 | 2 |
| Oxybenzone | 5 | 5 |
| Pentoxifylline | 1 | 2 |
| Progeterone | 2 | 2 |
| Sulfamethoxazole | 1 | 2 |
| Testosterone | 2 | 2 |
| Fluoxetine | 1 | 5 |
| Salicylic Acid | 1 | 5 |
| Triclosan | 50 | 50 |
| PPCP Analytes | Method Reporting Limit | |
| Water (ng/L) | Solids (ug/Kg) | |
| 17a-estradiol | 2 | 5 |
| 17a-ethnylestradiol | 2 | 5 |
| 17b-estradiol |
2 | 5 |
| Bisphenol A |
10 | 10 |
| Diethylstilbestrol | 2 | 5 |
| Estriol |
2 | 5 |
| Estrone |
5 | 5 |
| Trimethoprim |
5 | 5 |
| PPCP Analytes | Method Reporting Limit | |
| Water (ng/L) | Solids (ug/Kg) | |
| 1,7-DMX | 5 | 5 |
| Metoprolol | 5 | 5 |
| Atenolol | 5 | 5 |
| Cotinine | 5 | 5 |
| Sucralose | 5 | 5 |
| Primidone | 5 | 5 |
| Urobilin | 5 | 5 |
| Azithromycin | 5 | 5 |
| EPA 539 | Method Reporting Limit |
| Drinking Water (ng/L) | |
| Estrone | 2 |
| 17b_estradiol | 0.4 |
| Estriol | 0.8 |
| 17a_ethynylestradiol | 0.9 |
| Equilin | 4 |
| Androstenedione | 0.3 |
| Testosterone | 0.1 |
| Alkylphenols | Method Reporting Limit |
| GC/MS/SIM by ASTM-D7065-06M | Water (ug/L) |
| t-Octylphenol | 0.4 |
| Bisphenol A | 0.4 |
| Nonylphenols, Total | 2 |
| Nonylphenols monoethoxylate, Total | 4 |
| Nonylphenols diethoxylate, Total | 8 |
