Structural characterization and degradation efficiency of degradation products of iopromide by electron beam irradiation

Iopromide is an X-ray contrast agent that has been detected frequently with high concentration level in surface waters. Structural characterization of degradation products and measurement of degradation efficiency of iopromide by an electron beam irradiation were performed. For the fortified sample with iopromide, electron beam irradiation (UELV-10-10S, klysotrn, 10 MeV, 1 mA and 10 kW) was performed. The chemical structures of I_ D_ 665 and I_ D_ 663, which are degradation products of iopromide, were proposed by interpretation of mass spectra and chromatograms by LC/ESI-MS/MS. The mass fragmentation pathways of mass spectra in tandem mass spectrometry were also proposed. Iopromide was degraded 30.5 similar to 98.4% at dose of 0.3 similar to 5 kGy, and 97.8 similar to 30% in the concentration range 0.5 similar to 100 mu g/kg at electron beam dose of 0.3 kGy, respectively. Thus, increased degradation efficiency of iopromide by electron beam irradiation was observed with a higher dose of electron beam and lower concentration.