## 1 Introduction  
The presence of any xenobiotic compounds in fresh, ground, or marine water represents a threat to organisms living in these ecosystems and, therefore, to human health. Among organic pollutants, a group of high production volume chemicals, benzotriazole (BTRs), benzothiazoles (BTs), and benzenesulfonamides (BSAs), benzo-fused nitrogen heterocyclic compounds containing a benzene ring, has been used for several decades in a large number of industrial activities and consuming products [1]. BTRs are corrosion inhibitors, antifreeze fluids, and aircraft de-icers, and they are employed in photography, plastic production, and dishwasher detergents [2, 3, 4, 5]. BTs include vulcanization accelerators, corrosion inhibitors, biocides, UV light stabilizers in textiles and plastics, and precursors in the production of several kinds of pharmaceuticals [6]. BSAs are used for synthesizing dyes, photo-chemicals, disinfectants, and intermediates in the production of pharmaceuticals [7, 8]. These polar compounds, some of them resistant to biodegradation, can constitute an environmental threat due to their widespread application and consequent ubiquitous occurrence in various environmental compartments [1, 7]. Benzothiazoles, for example, are pervasive and spread into the atmosphere through tire chemical leaching [9]; they have been detected in human matrices, including exhaled breath, adipose tissue, urine, and amniotic samples [10; 11; 12; 13]. They can be carcinogenic to humans [14], act as dermal sensitizers [15], and produce allergenic effects and respiratory tract irritation at sufficient exposure [16; 17; 18]. Several studies suggested that they show acute toxicity to fish, aquatic plants, and invertebrates at relatively high concentrations [19; 20]. Benzotriazoles are spread through the progressive corrosion of metals, act as potent air pollutants, and may give rise to water pollution because of run-off from urban areas and roads [9; 21]. Together with benzothiazoles, they were found in the watershed, surface freshwater, drinking water, and at high concentrations in primary and secondary wastewaters [22; 23; 24; 25; 26]. Their concentrations range from a few ng L\({}^{-1}\) in water bodies to hundreds of \(\upmu\)g L\({}^{-1}\) in sewage and indoor dust [6; 17; 22; 26]. Existing evidence suggests that benzotriazoles harm aquatic plants and animals and have osteogenic effects in fish and _Daphnia magma_[6; 19; 27; 28; 29]. Benzenesulfonamides were found in rivers and sewage plants in concentrations up to \(\upmu\)g L\({}^{-1}\)[7; 30]. Concerning BSAs, studies exist only for \(p\)-toluene-sulfonamide (\(p\)-TSA), which was defined as moderately toxic [8; 30], but the large amounts currently used recommend additional tests. The toxicological and ecotoxicological information is estimated to be scarce, especially concerning chronic effects, although acute aquatic toxicity has been repeatedly reported [19; 28; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34]. Information about toxicity on wildlife is scarce, particularly concerning reptiles, birds, and marine mammals. Recently, benzotriazole UV filters have been found in the blood plasma of fishes, snapping turtles, double-crested cormorants, and bottlen dolphins from various locations in North America and Europe, thus confirming the widespread diffusion of such compounds in the aquatic environments [35; 36]. The increasing amount of potentially harmful pollutants in freshwater and marine environments requires fast and low-cost methods of analysis to carry out effective monitoring activities on the contaminants level. As recommended by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), additional tests on the bioactivity of new pollutants are mandatory [37]. Advanced chemical technologies are usually the first choice because of their high sensitivity and selectivity, but they are time-consuming, require expensive instruments, and can reveal just the searched compounds [1; 7; 35].