Caffeine in surface and wastewaters in Barbados, West Indies

• DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-0809-x
• Publication Date: 2015-02-02T13:53:52Z
• Authors: Quincy A Edwards; Sergei M Kulikov; Leah D Garner-O’N...
• Keywords: Paraxanthine; Solid phase extraction

Caffeine, a purine alkaloid drug, has been recognized as contaminant of water bodies in various climatic regions, however, these environmental caffeine concentrations are the first to be reported tropical Caribbean. The major objective this study was develop an improved method extract from surface and wastewaters warm Caribbean environment measure highly populated areas Barbados. Caffeine extracted via solid phase extraction (SPE); acidified samples were loaded onto C-18 cartridges eluted with pure chloroform. quantified using gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy multiple reaction monitoring (GC-MS/MS-MRM). Method detection limits 0.2 ng L(-1) 1 L achieved. detected all investigated. waters range 0.1 6.9 μg L(-1). two wastewater treatment plants, primary secondary systems, significantly differed their ability eliminate raw sewage (38% 99% removal efficiencies respectively). Thus, it may essential employ effectively remove systems principally attributed anthropogenic sources caffeine-producing plants not commonly grown on island also shows recalcitrance hydrolytic degradation.