Novel multi-sorbent for sampling and determination of trace volatile organic sulfur compounds in ambient air

Novel adsorbent APSG-MW (average particle size 215?µm and specific surface 98 m²?g^?1) bonding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on silica gel are obtained. Then the sampling tubes filled with Tenax TA and APSG-MW are prepared and the adsorptive capacity of Tenax TA/APSG-MW for volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) is studied. The data show that the adsorption and desorption recoveries of multi-sorbent for VOSCs are satisfactory (>85%), and the breakthrough values are large (>16?L?g^?1) enough to absorb VOSCs in ambient air. The sampling precision of the sorbent tubes meets TO-17 criteria. The sampling tubes are successfully used to concentrate and analyze a sample of landfill air, and the major S compounds are identified.     

Bare gold nanoparticles mediated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic determination and quantification of carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes

The paper proposes a simple and portable approach for the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy in situ determination of carboxylated single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in river water samples. The method is based on the subsequent microfiltration of a bare gold nanoparticles solution and the water sample containing soluble carbon nanotubes by using a home-made filtration device with a small filtration diameter. An acetate cellulose membrane with a pore size of 0.2 μm first traps gold nanoparticles to form the SERS-active substrate and then concentrates the carbon nanotubes. The measured SERS intensity data were closely fit with a Langmuir isotherm. A portable Raman spectrometer was employed to measure SERS spectra, which enables in situ determination of SWNTs in river waters. The limit of detection was 10 μg L⁻¹. The precision, for a 10 mg L⁻¹ concentration of carbon nanotubes, is 1.19% intra-membrane and 10.5% inter-membrane.     

Single-walled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase microextraction adsorbent for the determination of low-level concentrations of butyltin compounds in seawater

Carbon nanotubes are a kind of new carbon-based nanomaterials, which have drawn great attention in many application fields. The potential of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) adsorbent for the preconcentration of environmental pollutants has been investigated in recent years. In the present study, the feasibility of SWCNTs as SPME adsorbent for the determination of monobutyltin, dibutyltin and tributyltin in seawater samples was studied. To achieve this aim, the potential factors affecting the SPME efficiency, including extraction time, extraction temperature, desorption time, desorption temperature, and salinity were optimized. The developed method showed good performance according to the ICH (International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Analytical Methods) criteria. The acquired calibration curves were linear (r ≥ 0.992) over the concentration range from ≤12 to 2000 ng L⁻¹. For all of the analytes, the limit of detection at signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was below 5 ng L⁻¹. Furthermore, in comparison with the commercial carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber, the developed SWCNT fiber showed better thermal stability (over 350 °C) and longer life span (over 150 times). The application of the proposed method in environmental analyses was shown by analyzing seawater samples from the harbors on the Persian Gulf for butyltin residues. Some of the butyltins were detected in the analyzed samples. Results of the present study demonstrate the feasibility of the SWCNTs as SPME adsorbent for the determination of butyltins in seawater samples.     

Determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental water samples by solid-phase extraction using multi-walled carbon nanotubes as adsorbent coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as adsorbent coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method was developed for the determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental water samples. Several condition parameters, such as extraction adsorbents, elution solvents and volumes, and sample loading flow rate and volume were optimized to obtain high SPE recoveries and extraction efficiency. 150 mg MWCNTs as sorbent presented high extraction efficiency of 16 PAHs due to the large specific surface area and high adsorption capacity of MWCNTs compared with the commercial C18 column (250 mg/2 mL). The calibration curves of 16 PAHs extracted were linear in the range of 20–5000 ng L⁻¹, with the correlation coefficients (r²) between 0.9848 and 0.9991. The method attained good precisions (relative standard deviation, RSD) from 1.2% to 12.1% for standard PAHs aqueous solutions; method recoveries ranged in 76.0–125.5%, 74.5–127.0%, and 70.0–122.0% for real spiked samples from river water, tap water and seawater, respectively. Limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) of the method were determined from 2.0 to 8.5 ng L⁻¹. The optimized method was successfully applied to the determination of 16 PAHs in real environmental water samples.     

Silica gel-polyethylene glycol as a new adsorbent for solid phase extraction of cobalt and nickel and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In this paper a novel solid phase extraction method to determine Co(II) and Ni(II) using silica gel-polyethylene glycol (Silica-PEG) as a new adsorbent is described. The method is based on the adsorption of cobalt and nickel ions in alkaline media on polyethylene glycol-silica gel in a mini-column, elution with nitric acid and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The adsorption conditions such as NaOH concentration, sample volume and amount of adsorbent were optimized in order to achieve highest sensitivity. The calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.5-200.0 ng mL⁻¹ for Co(II) and 2.0-100.0 ng mL⁻¹ for Ni(II) in the initial solution. The limit of detection based on 3S_b was 0.37 ng mL⁻¹ for Co(II) and 0.71 ng mL⁻¹ for Ni(II). The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for ten replicate measurements of 40 ng mL⁻¹ of Co(II), and Ni(II) were 3.24 and 3.13%, respectively. The method was applied to determine Co(II) and Ni(II) in black tea, rice flour, sesame seeds, tap water and river water samples.     

Studies on electrochemical behaviors of acyclovir and its voltammetric determination with nano-structured film electrode

A multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate (DHP) film-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated, and the electrochemical behaviors of acyclovir on the MWNTs-DHP film-coated GCE were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronocoulometry (CC). The oxidation peak current of acyclovir increased significantly and the peak potential shifted negatively at the MWNTs-DHP film-modified GCE, compared with that at a bare GCE. The results showed that this nano-structured film electrode exhibited excellent enhancement effects on the electrochemical oxidation of acyclovir. Consequently, a simple and sensitive electroanalytical method was developed for the determination of acyclovir. The oxidation peak current was proportional to the concentration of acyclovir from 8.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L. The detection limit was about 3.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol/L for 60 s accumulation at 0.00 V. The proposed method was demonstrated by using acyclovir tablets and the result was satisfying.     

Affinity-based elimination of aromatic VOCs by highly crystalline multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are capable of adsorbing pollutant chemicals. Their adsorptive capacities and adsorbing mechanisms, however, are not fully understood. As-grown CNTs often contain both crystalline and amorphous carbon, and the ratio of carbon types can affect adsorption. In this study, highly crystalline multi-walled carbon nanotubes (HC-MWCNTs) were used as the adsorbent for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contaminated air samples. Air containing 23 added VOCs (1,1-dichloroethylene, dichloromethane, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, chloroform, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, benzene, trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloropropane, bromodichloromethane, cis-1,3-dichloropropene, toluene, trans-1,3-dichloropropene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, dibromochloromethane, m-xylene, p-xylene, o-xylene, bromoform, and p-dichlorobenzene) was used for model samples. Adsorptive experiments were carried out by passing the air samples through a cartridge packed with HC-MWCNTs. Initial results showing high selectivity and high affinity for adsorbing aromatic VOCs (benzene, toluene, m-xylene, p-xylene, o-xylene, and p-dichlorobenzene) have provided new insight into the adsorption mechanisms. Data suggest that the HC-MWCNTs, unlike conventional carbon materials, adsorb aromatic compounds according to Fukui's frontier theory, which is based on the interactions between the HOMO and LUMO of the aromatic VOCs and those of the HC-MWCNTs.     

Determination of volatile organic compounds in urban and industrial air from Tarragona by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study describes the optimisation of an analytical method to determine 54 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air samples by active collection on multisorbent tubes, followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Two multisorbent beds, Carbograph 1/Carboxen 1000 and Tenax/Carbograph 1TD, were tested. The latter gave better results, mainly in terms of the peaks that appeared in blank chromatograms. Temperatures, times and flow desorption were optimised. Recoveries were higher than 98.9%, except methylene dichloride, for which the recovery was 74.9%. The method's detection limits were between 0.01 and 1.25 μg m⁻³ for a volume sample of 1200 ml, and the repeatability on analysis of 100 ng of VOCs, expressed as relative standard deviation for n = 3, was lower than 4% for all compounds. Urban and industrial air samples from the Tarragona region were analysed. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) were found to be the most abundant VOCs in urban air. Total VOCs in urban samples ranged between 18 and 307 μg m⁻³. Methylene chloride, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, chloroform and styrene were the most abundant VOCs in industrial samples, and total VOCs ranged between 19 and 85 μg m⁻³.     

Preconcentration of diazinon using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase extraction adsorbents

A sensitive and selective column adsorption method is proposed for the preconcentration and determination of diazinon. Diazinon was preconcentrated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as an adsorbent and then determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Several parameters on the recovery of the analyte were investigated. The experimental results showed that it was possible to obtain quantitative analysis when the solution pH was 6 using 200 mL of validation solution containing 2 μg of diazinon and 5 mL of acetonitrile as an eluent. Recovery of diazinon was 95.2 ± 4.2% with a relative standard deviation for seven determinations of 4.9% under optimum conditions. The maximum preconcentration factor was 200 for diazinon when 1000 mL of sample solution volume was used. The linear range of calibration curve was 0.3 to 10,000 ng mL^− 1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 and the detection limit (3S/N) was 0.06 ng mL^− 1. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of diazinon in tap water with high precision and accuracy.     

New biosensing platforms based on the layer-by-layer self-assembling of polyelectrolytes on Nafion/carbon nanotubes-coated glassy carbon electrodes

We are proposing for the first time the use of a Nafion/multi-walled carbon nanotubes dispersion deposited on glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) as a new platform for developing enzymatic biosensors based on the self-assembling of a chitosan derivative and different oxidases. The electrodes are obtained by deposition of a layer of Nafion/multi-wall carbon nanotubes dispersion on glassy carbon electrodes, followed by the adsorption of a chitosan derivative as polycation and glucose oxidase, l-aminoacid oxidase or polyphenol oxidase, as polyanions and biorecognition elements. The optimum configuration for glucose biosensors has allowed a highly sensitive (sensitivity = (0.28 ± 0.02) μA mM⁻¹, r = 0.997), fast (4 s in reaching the maximum response), and highly selective (0% interference of ascorbic acid and uric acid at maximum physiological levels) glucose quantification at 0.700 V with detection and quantification limits of 0.035 and 0.107 mM, respectively. The repetitivity for 10 measurements was 5.5%, while the reproducibility was 8.4% for eight electrodes. The potentiality of the new platform was clearly demonstrated by using the carbon nanotubes/Nafion layer as a platform for the self-assembling of l-aminoacid oxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, the platform we are proposing here, that combines the advantages of nanostructured materials with those of the layer-by-layer self-assembling of polyelectrolytes, opens the doors to new and exciting possibilities for the development of enzymatic and affinity biosensors using different transdution modes.     

Mesoporous silicate MCM-48 as an enrichment medium for ambient volatile organic compound analysis

This study investigated the sorption/desorption properties of MCM-48 and its applicability as a sorbent for on-line gas chromatographic analysis of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To establish a valid comparison, commercially available carbon sorbents were evaluated under similar analytical conditions. Two trapping temperatures of 30 °C and −20 °C, representing ambient and sub-ambient temperatures, were tested by trapping a full range of VOCs from C₂–C₁₂. At ambient temperatures, due to the mesoporosity, the MCM-48 showed considerably limited trapping efficiency compared to microporous carbon sorbents on the highly volatile section of VOCs and only began to show effective trapping for compounds larger than C₇. Cooling to sub-ambient temperatures (e.g., −20 °C) extended the effective trapping down to C₄ VOCs, drastically increasing the applicability of MCM-48 as an in-line enrichment medium for gas chromatographic analysis of VOCs. The mesoporosity of MCM-48 also aided desorption. Much lower desorption temperatures (100–180 °C) were required for full desorption as compared to the temperatures (greater than 200 °C) required for carbon sorbents. Moreover, the easy desorption was accompanied by a low memory effect, as the large pores of MCM-48 can clean up more efficiently after desorption, with little residue left behind.     

Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) electrochemiluminescence sensor based on carbon nanotube/organically modified silicate films

In this paper, a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was constructed to determine herring sperm (HS) double-stranded (ds) DNA. Tetramethoxysilane and dimethyldimethoxysilane were selected as co-precursors to form an organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) film for the immobilization of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) wrapped by poly(p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), and then Tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) was successfully immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode via ion-association. PSS was employed to increase the conductivity of the ORMOSIL film and disperse the cut MWNTs, which were cut and shortened in a mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids, in the film. It was found that MWNTs could adsorb Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and acted as conducting pathways to connect Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ sites to the electrode. MWNTs also played a key role as materials for the mechanical and thermal properties. The ECL performance of this modified electrode was evaluated in a flow injection analysis (FIA) system, and the detection limit (S/N = 3) for HS ds-DNA was 2.0 × 10⁻⁷ g mL⁻¹ with a linear range from 1.34 × 10⁻⁶ to 6.67 × 10⁻⁴ g mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9876). In addition, the ECL sensor presented excellent characteristics in terms of stability, reproducibility and application life.     

Electrochemical DNA biosensors based on platinum nanoparticles combined carbon nanotubes

Platinum nanoparticles were used in combination with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for fabricating sensitivity-enhanced electrochemical DNA biosensor. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and platinum nanoparticles were dispersed in Nafion, which were used to fabricate the modification of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. Oligonucleotides with amino groups at the 5′ end were covalently linked onto carboxylic groups of MWCNTs on the electrode. The hybridization events were monitored by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurement of the intercalated daunomycin. Due to the ability of carbon nanotubes to promote electron-transfer reactions, the high catalytic activities of platinum nanoparticles for chemical reactions, the sensitivity of presented electrochemical DNA biosensors was remarkably improved. The detection limit of the method for target DNA was 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹ mol l⁻¹.     

Simple water analysis of golf link pesticides by means of batch-wise adsorption and supercritical fluid extraction

Here, a simple new method is proposed to evaluate water for the presence of pesticides. Specifically, pesticides for golf link maintenance were used as the targets for this investigation. Water samples containing the pesticides were mixed with particulate adsorbent, after which the pesticides were extracted from the adsorbents using supercritical fluid carbon dioxide and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The recoveries of pesticides were examined with several types of adsorbents and found to be related to their octanol/water partition coefficients (K_ow) for most of the adsorbents. Good recoveries were obtained when the water samples were mixed with octadecylsilane (ODS) and stylene-divinylbenzene copolymer (XAD) resins for 15 and 30 min, respectively. In the supercritical fluid extraction, extraction pressure affected the efficiency of extraction from XAD while a little effect on extraction from ODS, probably due to the internal structure of the adsorbents. The limit of detection ranged from 0.002 to 2.3 μg L⁻¹ and the method is suitable for the measurement of golf link pesticides in μg L⁻¹ order to 100 μg L⁻¹. The procedure of the proposed method was simpler than the conventional solid-phase extraction method. Finally, the method presented here was used to identify pesticides present in actual wastewater from golf links.     

Mesoporous silica-based electrochemical sensor for sensitive determination of environmental hormone bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an emerging contaminant with severe toxic effects such as disrupting endocrine system or causing cancer, therefore, developing sensitive and selective sensor for BPA is very important and interesting. Herein, MCM-41, a kind of mesoporous silica, was synthesized and then used to prepare an electrochemical sensor for BPA. For better comparison, carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, silica gel and graphite were also employed to prepare electrochemical sensor for BPA. The electrochemical behaviors of BPA at different electrochemical sensors were investigated. Compared with other sensors, the MCM-41 sensor greatly enhances the response signal of BPA due to the large active surface area and high accumulation efficiency. The effects of pH value, accumulation time and sensor composition were examined. The linear range is from 2.2 × 10⁻⁷ to 8.8 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, and the limit of detection is evaluated to be 3.8 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. Finally, the MCM-41 sensor was successfully employed to determine BPA in water samples.     

Determination of parabens in cosmetic products using multi-walled carbon nanotubes as solid phase extraction sorbent and corona-charged aerosol detection system

The potential of carbon nanotubes for the solid phase extraction of parabens in cosmetic products and the detection using a corona-charged aerosol detector (C-CAD) is presented in this work. The analytical procedure is based on a conventional solid phase extraction step for which 20 mg of multi-walled carbon nanotubes were packed in a 3-mL commercial SPE cartridge. Methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben were thus isolated and preconcentrated from the pre-treated samples and subsequently separated on a RP-C18 column using acetonitrile:water, 50:50 (v/v) as mobile phase. The analytical signals for the individual parabens were obtained using C-CAD. The experimental variables affecting the extraction procedure and the instrumental detection have been deeply studied. Limits of detection were in the range of 0.5–2.1 mg L⁻¹, while the linear range was extended up to 400 mg L⁻¹. The average precision of the method varied between 3.3–3.8% (repeatability) and 4.3–7.6% (reproducibility). Finally, the optimized procedure was applied to the determination of the target preservatives in a variety of cosmetic products with satisfactory results.     

Sampling and analysis of volatile organics emitted from wastewater treatment plant and drain system of an industrial science park

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored in the different sections of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the outlet of both the WWTP and rainfall water, and the downstream of the WWTP joining the river in the area or vicinity of an industrial science park located in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Levels of VOCs were determined by collecting air samples over several sampling points and analyzed using gas chromatography. Among VOCs identified in the drainage and effluent system in each season, acetone, isopropanol (IPA) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) were the major emission species and maximum concentrations were 400.4, 22.8 and 641.2 ppbv, respectively. The ambient air and wastewater sample analysis from neighboring wastewater streams identified pollutants being discharged from unaccounted sources other than the industrial park. According to the 24 h semi-continuous monitoring data (27/7/2002-29/7/2002), the total VOC concentration was an average of 93 ppbv (acetone contributed ∼78%) with a dramatic variation during the day and night. The emission rate of measured VOCs estimated using fixed box model projected an average of 2-4 μg m⁻² h⁻¹) during the day and 9-17 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ during the night. In addition, the isopleth maps show that the acetone and DMS emissions influence adversely the nearby residential area located at less than 100 m downwind from the plant. Eventually, based on this study, an on-line monitoring and alerting system could be built for a long-term performance, and with regular information on the varying pollutants over time construction of a green strategy and creation of a sustainable environment can be achieved.     

A passive sampling-based analytical strategy for the determination of volatile organic compounds in the air of working areas

An analytical methodology based on the use of a polyethylene layflat tube filled with activated carbon and Florisil (ACFL-VERAM) was employed for the passive sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air of working areas of packing industries. VOCs amount in the ACFL-VERAM sampler was directly determined through head-space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) allowing a direct determination in only 20 min without the need of any previous treatment. Uptake parameters, like sampling rate (R_S) and sampler-air partition coefficient (K_SA), were determined for every studied VOC from adsorption isotherm data. Additionally, experimental equations have been proposed to predict R_S and K_SA from the octanol-air partition coefficients reported in the literature. The proposed methodology reaches method detection levels from 0.007 to 0.2 mg m⁻³ for the studied VOCs.     

Determination of trace heavy metals in herbs by sequential injection analysis-anodic stripping voltammetry using screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrodes

A method for the simultaneous determination of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) at low μg L⁻¹ concentration levels by sequential injection analysis-anodic stripping voltammetry (SIA-ASV) using screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrodes (SPCNTE) was developed. A bismuth film was prepared by in situ plating of bismuth on the screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrode. Operational parameters such as ratio of carbon nanotubes to carbon ink, bismuth concentration, deposition time and flow rate during preconcentration step were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges were found to be 2-100 μg L⁻¹ for Pb(II) and Cd(II), and 12-100 μg L⁻¹ for Zn(II). The limits of detection (S_bl/S = 3) were 0.2 μg L⁻¹ for Pb(II), 0.8 μg L⁻¹ for Cd(II) and 11 μg L⁻¹ for Zn(II). The measurement frequency was found to be 10-15 stripping cycle h⁻¹. The present method offers high sensitivity and high throughput for on-line monitoring of trace heavy metals. The practical utility of our method was also demonstrated with the determination of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) by spiking procedure in herb samples. Our methodology produced results that were correlated with ICP-AES data. Therefore, we propose a method that can be used for the automatic and sensitive evaluation of heavy metals contaminated in herb items.     

Determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates by ion-pair solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

In this paper, the potential use of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent was evaluated for preconcentration of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) using ion-pair (IP)-SPE with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH). The LAS homologues present in the aqueous sample were ion-paired with TBAH and the solution was passed through the MWCNT cartridges. The analytes retained in the cartridge were eluted with methanol and the concentrated methanol extract was analysed by HPLC-UV. In order to obtain the satisfactory recovery of LAS homologues, various parameters including the type and amount of the ion-pair reagents, the desorption and enrichment conditions such as the effect of eluent and its volume, pH, the flow rate, the ultrasonic time of sample, and the volume of sample solution were systematically optimized. Under the optimal conditions, LAS homologues could be easily extracted by the proposed SPE cartridge. The favorable limits of detection (LOD) for LAS homologues were in the range from 0.02 to 0.03 μg L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.55-2.54% for 10 μg L⁻¹ LAS (n = 6). The proposed method has been successfully applied for the analysis of LAS homologues in aqueous environmental samples. A comparison study with ion-pair solid extraction on MWCNTs, C8 and C18 as adsorbents for LAS demonstrated that ion pair-based solid extraction on MWCNTs adsorbent was advantageous over C8 and C18, the widely used traditional adsorbents.