Quantification of four artificial sweeteners in Finnish surface waters with isotope-dilution mass spectrometry

Abstract

The artificial sweeteners sucralose (SCL), acesulfame (ACS), saccharin (SAC), and cyclamate (CYC) have been detected in environmental waters in Europe and North America. Higher environmental levels are expected in view of the increasing consumption of these food additives. In this study, an isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for quantifying the four artificial sweeteners in boreal lakes (n = 3) and rivers (n = 12). The highest concentrations of ACS, SAC, CYC and SCL were 9,600, 490, 210 and 1000 ng/L, respectively. ACS and SAC were detected in all studied samples, and CYC and SCL in 98% and 56% of the samples. Seasonal trends of ACS and SAC were observed in some rivers. ACS and SCL concentrations in rivers correlated linearly with population equivalents of the wastewater treatment plants in the catchment areas, whereas SAC and CYC concentrations depend more on the source.

Keywords: ACS; Acesulfame; Acetonitrile; CYC; Cyclamate; Cyclamate or cyclamic acid; Deuterated acesulfame; Deuterated cyclamic acid; Deuterated saccharin; Deuterated sucralose; ESI; Electrospray ionisation; HSS; High-strength silica; IDMS; Isotope-dilution mass spectrometry; LC; LOD; LOQ; Limit of detection; Limit of quantification; Liquid chromatography; MRM; MS; MS/MS; Mass spectrometry; MeCN; MeOH; Methanol; Multiple reaction monitoring; PE; Population equivalent; RSD; Relative standard deviation; S/N; SAC; SCL; SDB; SPE; Saccharin; Signal-to-noise ratio; Solid-phase extraction; Styrene divinyl benzene; Sucralose; Surface water; Tandem mass spectrometry; UPLC; Ultra-performance liquid chromatography; WWTP; Wastewater treatment plant; d-ACS; d-CYC; d-SAC; d-SCL.