Steroid hormones as endocrine disrupting compounds can interfere with the functioning of hormonal systems of organisms and thus affect the health and reproduction of humans and wildlife. Unfortunately, these types of harmful endocrine disrupting compounds have been found in a variety of environmental samples at very low concentrations. Therefore, a simple, fast, and efficient method for enrichment of water samples is needed. A molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction combined with high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection was developed for the determination of six steroid hormones, such as estrone, 17‐β‐estradiol, estriol, 17‐α‐ethinylestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone in water samples. The recoveries obtained in the proposed method were in the range of 78.7–101.3%. Matrix effect below 20% suggests that the quantitative and qualitative results of the analysis were not significantly affected by the matrix. The results show that molecularly imprinted polymers based on spherical silica gel had the potential to be a highly innovative and selective sorbent. The proposed method was proved to be applicable for molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction in selective and reliable extraction and enrichment of steroid hormones in environmental water samples.

Cyanobacterial blooms occur frequently in artifi cial lakes, especially in water reservoirs with small retention exposition to anthropopressure. The abundant occurrence of cyanobacteria is accompanied by danger of oxygen imbalance in the aquatic environment and the secretion of toxins that are possible threat to human health and life. Cyanobacterial cell growth depends on a number of physical (temperature, light exposure), chemical (pH, concentration of compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus) and biological (the presence of other organisms) factors. This paper presents the results of the analysis of water from reservoirs located in southern Wielkopolska region (Pokrzywnica-Szałe, Gołuchów and Piaski-Szczygliczka). Some important physico-chemical parameters of water samples taken from investigated reservoirs as well as cyanotoxins concentration were determined. Furthermore, the cyanobacterial species were identifi ed. There was also an attempt made to correlate the water parameters with the cyanobacteria development and cyanotoxins production. On the basis of the results obtained in the analyzed season, it can be concluded that water from Pokrzywnica and Gołuchów reservoirs was rich in nutrients, hence the intense cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins in water were observed.Brought to you by | MIT Libraries Authenticated Download Date | 5/12/18 1:34 PM

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Folic acid (FA) belongs to vitamins from group B. The most commonly used drug from a group of structural analogues of FA is methotrexate (MTX), showing antiproliferatative properties. Unfortunately, the action of MTX is not selective. Toxic effects of methotrexate may be partially abolished by the use of leucovorin (calcium salt of folinic acid, FNA) in conserving therapy. The aim of the presented paper was to develop a new analytical procedure using the capillary electrophoresis, allowing the separation and the quantitative marking of the folic acid, methotrexate and calcium salt of folinic acid. Optimal conditions for the electrophoretic separation were obtained for the following parameters: buffer - 25 mmol/L Na2B4O7,pH 9,76; voltage -30 kV, measurement temperature -30 °C, the introduction of a sample to the capillary - hydrodynamically 6 s (0,5 psi). These parameters allowed to obtain LOD 0,6 μM for FA, 0,65 μM for FNA and 0,7 μM for MTX.