Electromembrane extraction of tartrazine from food samples: Effects of nano‐sorbents on membrane performance

In the present study, for the first time electromembrane extraction followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection was developed and validated for the determination of tartrazine in some food samples. The parameters influencing electromembrane extraction were evaluated and optimized. The membrane consists of 1‐octanol immobilized in the pores of a hollow fiber. As a driving force, a 30 V electrical field was applied to make the analyte migrate from sample solution with pH 3, through the supported liquid membrane into an acceptor solution with pH 10. Best preconcentration (enrichment factor >21) was obtained in extraction duration of 15 min. Effects of some solid nano‐sorbents like carbon nanotubes and molecularly imprinted polymers on membrane performance and electromembrane extraction efficiency were evaluated. The method provided the linearity in the range 25–1000 ng/mL for tartrazine (R² > 0.9996) with repeatability range (RSD) between 3.8 and 8.5% (n = 3). The limits of detection and quantitation were 7.5 and 25 ng/mL, respectively. Finally, the method was applied to the determination and quantification of tartrazine from some food samples with relative recoveries in the range between 90 and 98%.     

Electromembrane extraction of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonists from plasma and wastewater samples

In the present study, for the first time electromembrane extraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection was optimized and validated for quantification of four gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist anticancer peptides (alarelin, leuprolide, buserelin and triptorelin) in biological and aqueous samples. The parameters influencing electromigration were investigated and optimized. The membrane consists 95% of 1‐octanol and 5% di‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐phosphate immobilized in the pores of a hollow fiber. A 20 V electrical field was applied to make the analytes migrate from sample solution with pH 7.0, through the supported liquid membrane into an acidic acceptor solution with pH 1.0 which was located inside the lumen of hollow fiber. Extraction recoveries in the range of 49 and 71% within 15 min extraction time were obtained in different biological matrices which resulted in preconcentration factors in the range of 82–118 and satisfactory repeatability (7.1 < RSD% < 19.8). The method offers good linearity (2.0–1000 ng/mL) with estimation of regression coefficient higher than 0.998. The procedure allows very low detection and quantitation limits of 0.2 and 0.6 ng/mL, respectively. Finally, it was applied to determination and quantification of peptides in human plasma and wastewater samples and satisfactory results were yielded.     

Development and application of SBA‐15 assisted electromembrane extraction followed by corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry for the determination of Thiabendazole in fruit juice samples

A new sample preparation method based on SBA‐15 assisted electromembrane extraction coupled with corona discharge ion mobility spectrometer was developed for the determination of Thiabendazole as a model basic pesticide in fruit juice samples. The addition of SBA‐15 in the supported liquid membrane in electromembrane extraction system not only can lead to enhancement of the effective surface area, but also introducing the negatively charged silanol groups into supported liquid membrane might improve migration of positively charged analytes toward the supported liquid membrane and finally into the acceptor solution. To investigate the effect of the presence of SBA‐15 in the supported liquid membrane on the extraction efficiency, a comparative study was carried out between the conventional electromembrane extraction and SBA‐15/electromembrane extraction methods. Under the optimized conditions, SBA‐15/electromembrane extraction method showed higher extraction efficiencies in comparison with conventional electromembrane extraction method. SBA‐15/electromembrane extraction method exhibited a low limit of detection (0.9 ng/mL), high preconcentration factor (167) and high recovery (83%). Finally, the applicability of SBA‐15/electromembrane extraction method was studied by the extraction and determination of Thiabendazole as a model basic pesticide in fruit juice samples.     

Rapid isolation of angiotensin peptides from plasma by electromembrane extraction

The present study has for the first time demonstrated the isolation of peptides from human plasma by electromembrane extraction (EME). Angiotensin 1, angiotensin 2, and angiotensin 3 migrated from 500 μL of diluted plasma, through a thin layer of 1-octanol and 8% di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate immobilized as a supported liquid membrane (SLM) in the pores of a porous hollow fiber, and into a 25 μL aqueous acceptor solution present inside the lumen of the fiber. The driving force for the extraction was a 15 V potential difference applied across the SLM. After only 10 min of EME, the peptides were isolated from diluted plasma (pH 3) with extraction recoveries between 25 and 43%. After optimization, the extraction system was evaluated using spiked plasma samples of angiotensin 2. The evaluation was performed by liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry, showing linearity of angiotensin 2 in the range 2.5–125.0 ng/mL (r² = 0.989), and repeatability (RSD) between 5.6 and 11.6% (n = 6). The results demonstrate the possibility of isolating angiotensin peptides from plasma in only 10 min, using electromembrane extraction. The experimental findings are therefore promising with regard to future peptide extractions.     

An electromembrane extraction–HPLC‐UV analysis for the determination of valproic acid in human plasma

In this study, an electromembrane extraction (EME) method combined with a simple HPLC‐UV analysis was developed and validated for the determination of valproic acid in human plasma samples. The major parameters influencing EME procedure, namely the solvent composition, voltage, pH of acceptor and donor solutions, salt effect, and time of extraction, were evaluated and optimized. The drug was extracted from the donor aqueous sample solution (pH 5) to the acceptor aqueous solution (pH 13). The donor and acceptor phases were separated by a hollow fiber dipped in 1‐octanol as a supported liquid membrane. A voltage of 60 V during 25 min was applied as the driving force. The drug concentration enrichment factor obtained was >125, which enhanced the sensitivity of the method. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation were 0.2 and 0.5 μg/mL, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to a human plasma sample, with a relative recovery of 75%. The method was linear over the range 0.5–10 μg/mL for valproic acid (R² > 0.9996) with a repeatability (%RSD) between 0.9 and 3.3% (n = 3). Valproic acid is an anticonvulsant drug with poor UV absorption, and EME can improve the sensitivity of HPLC‐UV for the determination of valproic acid in plasma samples.     

Simultaneous determination of benzene,toluene, ethylbenzene,and xylene metabolites in human urine using electromembrane extraction combined with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry

For the first time, electromembrane extraction combined with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry was applied for the determination of urinary benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene metabolites. S‐Phenylmercapturic acid, hippuric acid, phenylglyoxylic acid, and methylhippuric acid isomers were extracted from human urine through a supported liquid membrane consisting of 1‐octanol into an alkaline acceptor solution filling the inside of a hollow fiber by application of an electric field. Various extraction factors were investigated and optimized using response surface methodology, the statistical method. The optimum conditions were established to be 300 V applied voltage, 15 min extraction time, 1500 rpm stirring speed, and 5 mM ammonium acetate (pH 10.2) acceptor solution. The method was validated with respect to selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery, and reproducibility. The results showed good linearity (r² > 0.995), precision, and accuracy. The extract recoveries were 52.8–79.0%. Finally, we applied this method to real samples and successfully measured benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene metabolites.     

Electromembrane extraction combined with cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis for the quantification of trimipramine enantiomers

A sensitive, simple and reproducible method was developed for preconcentration and determination of trimipramine (TPM) enantiomers in biological samples using electromembrane extraction combined with cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis (CE). During the extraction, TPM enantiomers migrated from a 5 mL sample solution through a thin layer of 2‐nitrophenyl octyl ether NPOE immobilized in the pores of a hollow fiber, and into a 20 μL acidic aqueous acceptor phase presented inside the lumen of the fiber. A Box–Behnken design and the response surface methodology (RSM) were used for the optimization of different variables on extraction efficiency. Optimized extraction conditions were: NPOE as supported liquid membrane, inter‐electrode distance of 5 mm, stirring rate of 1000 rpm, 51 V potential difference, 34 min as the extraction time, acceptor phase pH 1.0 and donor phase pH 4.5. Then, the extract was analyzed using optimized cyclodextrin (CD)‐modified CE method for the separation of TPM enantiomers. Best results were achieved using 100 mM phosphate running buffer (pH 2.0) containing 10 mM α‐CD as the chiral selector, applied voltage of 18 kV and 20°C. The range of quantitation for both enantiomers was 20–500 ng/mL. The method was very reproducible so that intra‐ and interday RSDs (n=6) were <6%. The limits of quantitation and detection for both enantiomers were 20 and 7 ng/mL, respectively. Finally, this method was successfully applied to determine the concentration of TPM enantiomers in plasma and urine samples without any pre‐treatment.     

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction for quantification of lamotrigine in plasma of epileptic patients by capillary electrophoresis

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction technique combined with capillary electrophoresis was developed to quantify lamotrigine (LTG) in plasma samples. The analyte was extracted from 4.0 mL of a basic donor phase (composed of 0.5 mL of plasma and 3.5 mL of sodium phosphate solution pH 9.0) through a supported liquid membrane composed of 1‐octanol immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber, and to an acidic acceptor phase (hydrochloric acid solution pH 4.0) placed in the lumen of the fiber. The extraction was carried out for 30 min at 500 rpm. The eletrophoretic analysis was carried out in 130 mmol/L MES buffer, pH 5.0 with a constant voltage of +15 kV and 20°C. Sample injections were performed for 10 s, at a pressure of 0.5 psi. The detection was performed at 214 nm for both LTG and the internal standard lidocaine. Under the optimized conditions, the method showed a limit of quantification of 1.0 μg/mL and was linear over the plasmatic concentration range of 1.0–20.0 μg/mL. Finally, the validated method was applied for the quantification of LTG in plasma samples of epileptic patients.     

Electrochemical Determination of Dextromethorphan on Reduced Graphene Oxide Modified Screen‐Printed Electrode after Electromembrane Extraction

In this paper, electromembrane extraction coupled with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) on a reduced graphene oxide modified screen‐printed carbon electrode (RGO‐SPCE) for the determination of dextromethorphan (DXM) in urine and plasma has been described. DXM migrated from 4 mL of a donor phase across a thin layer of 2‐nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) immobilized in the pores of a porous hollow fiber, into a 20 µL acceptor phase (HCl) present inside the lumen of the fiber. Then, 15 µL of a 0.1 M NaOH solution was added to the acceptor phase and the mixture was analyzed using DPV.     

Surfactant‐assisted electromembrane extraction combined with cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis for the separation and quantification of Tranylcypromine enantiomers in biological samples

Surfactant‐assisted electromembrane extraction coupled with cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis was developed for the separation and determination of Tranylcypromine enantiomers in biological samples. This combination would provide a new strategy for selective and sensitive determination of target analytes. The addition of surfactant in the donor solution improved the analyte transport into the lumen of hollow fiber that resulted in an enhancement in the analytes migration into acceptor solution. Optimization of the variables, affecting proposed method, was carried out and best results were achieved with a 175 V potential as driving force of the electromembrane extraction, 2‐nitrophenyloctylether as the supported liquid membrane, donor solution containing 0.2 mM Triton X‐100 with pH 3 and 0.1 M HCl for acceptor solution. Then, the extract was analyzed using cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis method for separation of Tranylcypromine enantiomers. The best results were obtained with a phosphate running buffer (100 mM, pH 2.0) containing 7% w/v hydroxypropyl‐α‐cyclodextrin. Under the optimum conditions, a low limit of detection (3.03 ng/mL), good linearity (R² > 0.9953), and relative standard deviations below 4.0% (n = 5) were obtained. Finally, this procedure was applied to determine the concentration of Tranylcypromine enantiomers in urine samples with satisfactory results.     

Electromembrane extraction of peptides

Rapid extraction of eight different peptides using electromembrane extraction (EME) was demonstrated for the first time. During an extraction time of 5 min, the model peptides migrated from a 500 microL aqueous acidic sample solution, through a thin supported liquid membrane (SLM) of an organic liquid sustained in the pores in the wall of a porous hollow fiber, and into a 25 microL aqueous acidic acceptor solution present inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The driving force of the extraction was a 50 V potential sustained across the SLM, with the positive electrode in the sample and the negative electrode in the acceptor solution. The nature and the composition of the SLM were highly important for the EME process, and a mixture of 1-octanol and 15% di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate was found to work properly. Using 1mM HCl as background electrolyte in the sample and 100 mM HCl in the acceptor solution, and agitation at 1050 rpm, enrichment up to 11 times was achieved. Recoveries were found to be dependent on the structure of the peptide, indicating that the polarity and the number of ionized groups were important parameters affecting the extraction efficiency. The experimental findings suggested that electromembrane extraction of peptides is possible and may be a valuable tool for future extraction of peptides.     

Electro membrane extraction combined with capillary electrophoresis for the determination of amlodipine enantiomers in biological samples

Electro membrane extraction as a new microextraction method was applied for the extraction of amlodipine (AM) enantiomers from biological samples. During the extraction time of 15 min, AM enantiomers migrated from a 3 mL sample solution, through a supported liquid membrane into a 20 μL acceptor solution presented inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The driving force of the extraction was 200 V potential, with the negative electrode in the acceptor solution and the positive electrode in the sample solution. 2-Nitro phenyl octylether was used as the supported liquid membrane. Using 10 mM HCl as background electrolyte in the sample and acceptor solution, enrichment up to 124 times was achieved. Then, the extract was analyzed using CD modified CE method for separation of AM enantiomers. Best results were achieved using a phosphate running buffer (100 mM, pH 2.0) containing 5 mM hydroxypropyl-α-CD. The range of quantitation for both enantiomers was 10-500 ng/mL. Intra- and interday RSD (n=6) were less than 14%. The limits of quantitation and detection for both enantiomers were 10 and 3 ng/mL respectively. Finally, this procedure was applied to determine the concentration of AM enantiomers in plasma and urine samples.     

Determination of thebaine in water samples, biological fluids, poppy capsule, and narcotic drugs, using electromembrane extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis

Opium determination is of great importance from toxicological and pharmaceutical standpoints. In present work, electromembrane extraction (EME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed for determination of thebaine as a natural alkaloid, in different matrices containing water, urine, poppy capsule, street heroine, and codeine tablet. Thebaine migrated from 3 mL of sample solutions, through a thin layer of 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) immobilized in the pores of a porous hollow fiber, and into a 15 μL acidic aqueous acceptor solution present inside the lumen of the fiber. The variables of interest, such as chemical composition of the organic liquid membrane, stirring speed, extraction time and voltage, pH of donor and acceptor phases and salt effect in the EME process were optimized. Under optimal conditions, thebaine was effectively extracted from different matrices with recoveries in the range of 45–55%, which corresponded to preconcentration factors in the range of 90–110. Good linearity was achieved for calibration curves with a coefficient of estimation higher than 0.997. Detection limits and intra-day precision (n = 3) were less than 15 μg L⁻¹ and 8.9%, respectively.     

Environmental and bioanalytical applications of hollow fiber membrane liquid-phase microextraction: a review

In hollow fiber membrane liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), target analytes are extracted from aqueous samples and into a supported liquid membrane (SLM) sustained in the pores in the wall of a small porous hollow fiber, and further into an acceptor phase present inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The acceptor phase can be organic, providing a two-phase extraction system compatible with capillary gas chromatography, or the acceptor phase can be aqueous resulting in a three-phase system compatible with high-performance liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. Due to high enrichment, efficient sample clean-up, and the low consumption of organic solvent, substantial interest has been devoted to LPME in recent years. This paper reviews important applications of LPME with special focus on bioanalytical and environmental chemistry, and also covers a new possible direction for LPME namely electromembrane extraction, where analytes are extracted through the SLM and into the acceptor phase by the application of electrical potentials.     

Developing a miniaturized setup for in‐tube simultaneous determination of three alkaloids using electromembrane extraction in combination with ultraviolet spectrophotometry

Herein, electromembrane extraction was combined with ultraviolet spectrophotometry using a customized manifold for preconcentration and simultaneous determination of morphine, codeine, and papaverine in water and human urine samples. Absorption spectra of the extracts were recorded inside the lumen of the hollow fiber using two fiber optics connected to a miniature spectrophotometer. Partial least squares regression was applied to resolve the overlapped spectra of the analytes. Performance of the model was validated by an independent test set. Central composite design was applied to optimize the extraction parameters. The optimized extraction conditions are as follows; supporting liquid membrane: 2‐nitrophenyl octyl ether containing 15% v/v bis(2‐ethylhexyl) phosphate, applied voltage: 80 V, donor pH: 3.0, acceptor pH: 1.0, extraction time: 20 min. Finally, the optimized extraction method was validated for determination of the mentioned alkaloids in human urine samples. The method showed good linearity (R² > 0.995) for all of the mentioned alkaloids. The limits of detection for morphine, codeine, and papaverine in diluted human urine were found to be 0.6, 1.1, and 0.6 ng/mL, respectively with acceptable relative standard deviations. Enrichment factors of 104, 108, and 102 were achieved for morphine, codeine, and papaverine, respectively.     

Determination of inorganic anions in ethyl acetate by ion chromatography with an electromembrane extraction method

In this work, the determination of inorganic anions in slightly water-soluble organic solvents (ethyl acetate) was realized by ion chromatography (IC) with a novel-efficient electromembrane extraction method. From an 8 mL ethyl acetate sample, three inorganic anions migrated through the pores of a polypropylene hollow fiber membrane, and into deionized water inside the lumen of the hollow fiber by the application of 600 V. The transport was forced by an electrical potential difference sustained over the liquid membrane, resulting in electrokinetic migration of inorganic anions from the donor compartment to the acceptor solution. After the electromembrane extraction, the acceptor solution was analyzed by IC with a sodium carbonate-sodium bicarbonate eluent. The applied voltage, stirring speed, and extraction time for controlling the extraction efficiency were optimized. Within 10 min of operation at 600 V, chloride, bromide, and sulfate were extracted with recoveries in the range 76-110%, which corresponded to a linear range of 0.01-1 mg/L. The procedure was applied to the analysis of inorganic anions in a real ethyl acetate sample and expands onto other slightly water-soluble organic solvents.     

Electromembrane extraction (EME) and HPLC determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in wastewater samples

In this paper, an electromembrane extraction (EME) combined with a HPLC procedure using diode array (DAD) and fluorescence detection (FLD) has been developed for the determination of six widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): salicylic acid (SAC), ketorolac (KTR), ketoprofen (KTP), naproxen (NAX), diclofenac (DIC) and ibuprofen (IBU). The drugs were extracted from basic aqueous sample solutions, through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) consisting of 1-octanol impregnated in the walls of a S6/2 Accurel^® polypropylene hollow fiber, and into a basic aqueous acceptor solution resent inside the lumen of the hollow fiber with a potential difference of 10 V applied over the SLM. Extractions that were carried out in 10 min using a potential of 10 V from pH 12 NaOH aqueous solutions shown concentration enrichments factors of 28-49 in a pH 12 NaOH aqueous acceptor solution. The proposed method was successfully applied to urban wastewaters. Excellent selectivity was demonstrated as no interfering peaks were detected. The procedure allows very low detection and quantitation limits of 0.0009-9.0 and 0.003-11.1 μg L⁻¹, respectively.     

Simultaneous determination of acidic and basic drugs using dual hollow fibre electromembrane extraction combined with CE

The simultaneous extraction of acidic and basic drugs from biological samples is a significant challenge for sample preparation. A novel and efficient method named dual hollow fibre electromembrane extraction combined with CE was applied for the simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of acidic and basic drugs in a single step. Under applied potential of 40 V during the extraction, ibuprofen as an acidic drug and thebaine as a basic drug migrated from a 4 mL aqueous sample solution at neutral pH into 20 μL of each basic (pH 12.5) and acidic (pH 2.0) acceptor phase, respectively; 1‐octanol and 2‐nitrophenyl octyl ether were immobilised in the pores of anodic and cathodic hollow fibres as supported liquid membranes, respectively. A Box–Behnken design and the response surface methodology were used for the optimisation of different parameters on the extraction efficiency. Under the optimised conditions, the enrichment factors were between 150 and 170 and also the LODs ranged from 3 to 7 ng/mL in different samples. The method was reproducible so that intra‐ and inter‐day RSDs% (n = 5) were less than 5.9%. Finally, the method was successfully applied for the simultaneous extraction and determination of acidic and basic drugs from plasma and urine samples.     

Electro‐driven extraction of inorganic anions from water samples and water miscible organic solvents and analysis by ion chromatography

A simple electromembrane extraction (EME) procedure combined with ion chromatography (IC) was developed to quantify inorganic anions in different pure water samples and water miscible organic solvents. The parameters affecting extraction performance, such as supported liquid membrane (SLM) solvent, extraction time, pH of donor and acceptor solutions, and extraction voltage were optimized. The optimized EME conditions were as follows: 1‐heptanol was used as the SLM solvent, the extraction time was 10 min, pHs of the acceptor and donor solutions were 10 and 7, respectively, and the extraction voltage was 15 V. The mobile phase used for IC was a combination of 1.8 mM sodium carbonate and 1.7 mM sodium bicarbonate. Under these optimized conditions, all anions had enrichment factors ranging from 67 to 117 with RSDs between 7.3 and 13.5% (n = 5). Good linearity values ranging from 2 to 1200 ng/mL with coefficients of determination (R²) between 0.987 and 0.999 were obtained. The LODs of the EME‐IC method ranged from 0.6 to 7.5 ng/mL. The developed method was applied to different samples to evaluate the feasibility of the method for real applications.     

Electromembrane extraction of basic drugs from untreated human plasma and whole blood under physiological pH conditions

The present work describes the first systematic study of electromembrane extraction (EME) from biological matrices under physiological conditions. Six basic drugs with protein binding in the range of 20–97% were extracted from untreated human plasma and whole blood through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) consisting of 1-ethyl-2-nitrobenzene impregnated in the walls of a hollow fiber, and into an acidified aqueous solution inside the lumen of the fiber. The electrical potential difference over the membrane reduced the protein binding of the drugs and transported the free drug fraction over the membrane. Recoveries in the range 25–65% were obtained with 10-min extraction time and an applied voltage of only 10 V over the SLM. Interday precision better than 20% RSD and linearity in the range 0.5–10 μg/mL were obtained for nortriptyline and methadone. Extraction from untreated whole blood was also demonstrated with recoveries in the range 19–51%.