Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction of five chlorophenols in water samples followed by determination using capillary electrophoresis

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) coupled with CE was developed for simultaneous determination of five types of chlorophenols (CPs), namely 2‐chlorophenol (2‐CP), 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP), 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP), 2,6‐dichlorophenol (2,6‐DCP), and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol (2,4,6‐TCP) in water samples. Several parameters affecting DLLME and CE conditions were systematically investigated. Under the optimized DLLME‐CE conditions, the five CPs were separated completely within 7.5 min and good enrichment factors were obtained of 40, 193, 102, 15, and 107 for 4‐CP, 2,4,6‐TCP, 2,4‐DCP, 2‐CP, and 2,6‐DCP, respectively. Good linearity was attained in the range of 1–200 μg/L for 2,4,6‐TCP, 2,4‐DCP, 2−300 μg/L for 4‐CP and 2‐CP, and 1−300 μg/L for 2,6‐DCP, with correlation coefficients (r) over 0.99. The LOD (S/N = 3) and the LOQ (S/N = 10) were 0.31−0.75 μg/L and 1.01−2.43 μg/L, respectively. Recoveries ranging from 60.85 to 112.36% were obtained with tap, lake, and river water spiked at three concentration levels and the RSDs (for n = 3) were 1.31–11.38%. With the characteristics of simplicity, cost‐saving, and environmental friendliness, the developed DLLME‐CE method proved to be potentially applicable for the rapid, sensitive, and simultaneous determination of trace CPs in complicated water samples.     

Solid‐phase microextraction based on polyaniline doped with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid coupled to HPLC for the quantitative determination of chlorophenols in water samples

A porous and highly efficient polyaniline‐based solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) coating was successfully prepared by the electrochemical deposition method. A method based on headspace SPME followed by HPLC was established to rapidly determine trace chlorophenols in water samples. Influential parameters for the SPME, including extraction mode, extraction temperature and time, pH and ionic strength procedures, were investigated intensively. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method was linear in the range of 0.5–200 μg/L for 4‐chlorophenol and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, 0.2–200 μg/L for 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2–200 μg/L for 2,3,4,6‐tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, with satisfactory correlation coefficients (>0.99). RSDs were <15% (n = 5) and LODs were relatively low (0.10–0.50 μg/L). Compared to commercial 85 μm polyacrylate and 60 μm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene fibers, the homemade polyaniline fiber showed a higher extraction efficiency. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of chlorophenols in water samples with satisfactory recoveries.     

Graphene oxide reinforced polymeric ionic liquid monolith solid‐phase microextraction sorbent for high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis of phenolic compounds in aqueous environmental samples

A graphene oxide reinforced polymeric ionic liquids monolith was obtained by copolymerization of graphene oxide doped 1‐(3‐aminopropyl)‐3‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)imidazolium 4‐styrenesulfonate monomer and 1,6‐di‐(3‐vinylimidazolium) hexane bihexafluorophosphate cross‐linking agent. Coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography, the monolith was used as a solid‐phase microextraction sorbent to analyze several phenolic compounds in aqueous samples. Under the optimized extraction and desorption conditions, linear ranges were 5–400 μg/L for 3‐nitrophenol, 2‐nitrophenol, and 2,5‐dichlorophenol and 2–400 μg/L for 4‐chlorophenol, 2‐methylphenol, and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol (R² = 0.9973–0.9988). The limits of detection were 0.5 μg/L for 3‐nitrophenol and 2‐nitrophenol and 0.2 μg/L for the rest of the analytes. The proposed method was used to determine target analytes in groundwater from an industrial park and river water. None of the analytes was detected. Relative recoveries were in the range of 75.5–113%.     

Field‐amplified sample injection combined with capillary electrophoresis for the simultaneous determination of five chlorophenols in water samples

A sensitive method of CZE‐ultraviolet (UV) detection based on the on‐line preconcentration strategy of field‐amplified sample injection (FASI) was developed for the simultaneous determination of five kinds of chlorophenols (CPs) namely 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP), 2‐chlorophenol (2‐CP), 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP), 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol (2,4,6‐TCP), and 2,6‐dichlorophenol (2,6‐DCP) in water samples. Several parameters affecting CZE and FASI conditions were systematically investigated. Under the optimal conditions, sensitivity enhancement factors for 4‐CP, 2‐CP, 2,4‐DCP, 2,4,6‐TCP, and 2,6‐DCP were 9, 27, 35, 43, and 43 folds, respectively, compared with the direct CZE, and the baseline separation was achieved within 5 min. Then, the developed FASI‐CZE‐UV method was applied to tap and lake water samples for the five CPs determination. The LODs (S/N = 3) were 0.0018–0.019 µg/mL and 0.0089–0.029 µg/mL in tap water and lake water, respectively. The values of LOQs in tap water (0.006–0.0074 µg/mL) were much lower than the maximum permissible concentrations of 2,4,6‐TCP, 2,4‐DCP, and 2‐CP in drinking water stipulated by World Health Organization (WHO) namely 0.3, 0.04, and 0.01 µg/mL, respectively, and thereby the method was suitable to detect the CPs according to WHO guidelines. Furthermore, the method attained high recoveries in the range of 83.0–119.0% at three spiking levels of five CPs in the two types of water samples, with relative standard deviations of 0.37–8.58%. The developed method was proved to be a simple, sensitive, highly automated, and efficient alternative to CPs determination in real water samples.     

Preparation of monolithic fibers for the solid‐phase microextraction of chlorophenols in water samples

Monolithic fibers were synthesized and applied for the solid‐phase microextraction and determination of chlorophenols in environmental water samples by coupling with HPLC. The fibers were prepared by copolymerization of vinylimidazole and ethylene dimethacrylate as functional monomer and cross‐linker, respectively. The effect of the preparation conditions of monolithic fibers on the extraction efficiencies was investigated in detail. Several characteristic techniques, such as elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, mercury‐intrusion porosimetry, and SEM were used to characterize the monolithic material. The effect of the extraction parameters, including desorption solvent, extraction and desorption time, pH values, and ionic strength in sample matrix on the extraction performance was investigated thoroughly. Under the improved extraction conditions, the linear ranges of 2‐chlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol were 1.0–200 μg/L and 2.0–200 μg/L for 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were in the range of 0.16–0.45 μg/L, the RSDs for intraday and interday precisions were <7.0%. Finally, the proposed method was successfully used to detect different environmental water samples. The recoveries of spiked water samples were ranged from 90.0 to 115%. At the same time, satisfactory repeatability was achieved with RSDs < 9.0%.     

Facile preparation of multifunctional carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite offering a strong option for efficient solid‐phase microextraction coupled with GC–MS for the analysis of phenolic compounds

The aim of this study was to synthesize a highly efficient organic–inorganic nanocomposite. In this research, the carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite was successfully prepared through a facile route. Monodisperse magnetite nanospheres were prepared through the coprecipitation route, and polyaniline nanolayer as a modified shell with a high surface area was synthesized by an in situ growth route and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The prepared nanocomposite was immobilized on a stainless‐steel wire for the fabrication of the solid‐phase microextraction fiber. The combination of headspace solid‐phase microextraction using carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite fiber with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry can achieve a low limit of detection and can be applied to determine phenolic compounds in water samples. The effects of the extraction and desorption parameters including extraction temperature and time, ionic strength, stirring rate, pH, and desorption temperature and time have been studied. Under the optimum conditions, the dynamic linear range was 0.01–500 ng/mL and the limits of detection of phenol, 4‐chlorophenol, 2,6‐dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol were the lowest (0.008 ng/mL) for three times. The coefficient of determination of all calibration curves was more than 0.990.     

Simultaneous dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on a low‐density solvent and derivatization followed by gas chromatography for the simultaneous determination of chloroanisoles and the precursor 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol in water samples

Chloroanisoles, particularly 2,4,6‐trichloroanisole, are commonly identified as major taste and odor compounds in water. In the present study, a simple and efficient method was established for the simultaneous determination of chloroanisoles and the precursor 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol in water by using low‐density‐solvent‐based simultaneous dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and derivatization followed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. 2,4‐Dichloroanisole, 2,6‐dichloroanisole, 2,4,6‐trichloroanisole, 2,3,4‐trichloroanisole, and 2,3,6‐trichloroanisole were the chloroanisoles evaluated. Several important parameters of the extraction‐derivatization procedures, including the types and volumes of extraction solvent and disperser solvent, concentrations of derivatization agent and base, salt addition, extraction‐derivatization time, and temperature were optimized. Under the optimized conditions (80 μL of isooctane as extraction solvent, 500 μL of methanol as disperser solvent, 60 μL of acetic anhydride as derivatization agent, 0.75% of Na₂CO₃ addition w/v, extraction‐derivatization temperature of 25°C, without salt addition), a good linearity of the calibration curve was observed by the square of correlation coefficients (R²) ranging from 0.9936 to 0.9992. Repeatability and reproducibility of the method were < 4.5% and <7.3%, respectively. Recovery rates ranged from 85.2 to 101.4%, and limits of detection ranged from 3.0 to 8.7 ng/L. The proposed method was applied successfully for the determination of chloroanisoles and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol in water samples.     

Accelerated solvent extraction combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry for the sensitive determination of phenols in soil samples

A method combining accelerated solvent extraction with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was developed for the first time as a sample pretreatment for the rapid analysis of phenols (including phenol, m‐cresol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol) in soil samples. In the accelerated solvent extraction procedure, water was used as an extraction solvent, and phenols were extracted from soil samples into water. The dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction technique was then performed on the obtained aqueous solution. Important accelerated solvent extraction and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction parameters were investigated and optimized. Under optimized conditions, the new method provided wide linearity (6.1–3080 ng/g), low limits of detection (0.06–1.83 ng/g), and excellent reproducibility (<10%) for phenols. Four real soil samples were analyzed by the proposed method to assess its applicability. Experimental results showed that the soil samples were free of our target compounds, and average recoveries were in the range of 87.9–110%. These findings indicate that accelerated solvent extraction with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction as a sample pretreatment procedure coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry is an excellent method for the rapid analysis of trace levels of phenols in environmental soil samples.     

Simultaneous determination of haloanisoles and halophenols in water using in situ acylation combined with solid‐phase microextraction with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

In this work, an in situ acylation combined with solid‐phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry method has been developed for simultaneously determining haloanisoles (2,4,6‐trichloranisole, 2,4,6‐tribromoanisole), and their direct precursors (2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, 2,4,6‐tribromophenol) and indirect precursors (2‐chloropenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, 2‐bromophenol, 2,4‐dibromophenol) in water. The key parameters for the solid‐phase microextraction were determined by using Plackett–Burman screening and optimized by central composite optimization. Under optimal conditions, the eight compounds can be analyzed in a short time (33 min) with a strong linearity ranging from 2 to 200 ng/L (correlation coefficient greater than 0.996), showing good sensitivities with the limit of detection in a range of 0.23–0.91 ng/L and a limit of quantification of 0.77–3.03 ng/L, good repeatability (2.00–9.10%) and interday precision (1.67–11.3%). When environmental water samples were treated, the recoveries of target compounds were 75.5–127.3%, suggesting that the developed method could be applied in probing the origin of haloanisoles and monitoring halophenols and haloanisoles in natural waters at concentration levels of ng/L.     

Suitability of dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the in situ silylation of chlorophenols in water samples before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry

Trace analysis of chlorophenols in water was performed by simultaneous silylation and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was carried out using an organic solvent lighter than water (n‐hexane). The effect of different silylating reagents on the method efficiency was investigated. The influence of derivatization reagent volume, presence of catalyst and derivatization/extraction time on the yield of the derivatization reaction was studied. Different parameters affecting extraction efficiency such as kind and volume of extraction and disperser solvents, pH of the sample and addition of salt were also investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs were linear in the range of 0.05–100 ng/mL and the limit of detection was 0.01 ng/mL. The enrichment factors were 242, 351, and 363 for 4‐chlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, respectively. The values of intra‐ and inter‐day relative standard deviations were in the range of 3.0–6.4 and 6.1–9.9%, respectively. The applicability of the method was investigated by analyzing water and wastewater samples.     

Cetylpyridinium Chloride as a Regulator in Paper Separation of 2,4‐Dichlorophenol and 2,4,6‐Trichlorophenol in Water

2,4‐Dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP) and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol (2,4,6‐TCP) by the use of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPCl) as a regulator was studied for their separation by the paper capillary permeation adsorption (PCPA) separation technique. The effect of pH, the type of PCPA treatment, the concentration of cetylpyridinium chloride, and various inorganic salts on the separatability has been investigated. A nearly 100% separatability was obtained at pH values 5–11 and 5–11, respectively, for 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol when cetylpyridinium chloride was present. It was confirmed that 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol are separated by adsorption on the fiber surface as ion pairs at the pH. Addition of inorganic salts decreases the separatability.     

The Analysis of Chlorinated Phenol Solutions by Capillary Electrophoresis Coupled with Direct and Indirect Amperometric Detection Using a Boron‐Doped Diamond Microelectrode

Analysis of aqueous solutions containing chlorinated phenol pollutants was accomplished by capillary electrophoresis with direct and indirect amperometric detection using a boron‐doped diamond microelectrode. The microelectrode was prepared by (i) coating a thin film of boron‐doped polycrystalline diamond on a sharpened platinum wire (76‐μm diameter) and (ii) sealing the coated wire in a polypropylene pipet tip. The diamond microelectrode, used in end‐column detection, exhibited a low and stable background current with low peak‐to‐peak noise and good electrochemical activity for the pollutants without any conventional pretreatment. The electrode performance was evaluated in terms of the linear dynamic range, sensitivity, limit of quantitation, and response precision for the detection of several priority pollutants (2‐chlorophenol, 3‐chlorophenol, 4‐chlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol). The diamond microelectrode gave good detection figures of merit for these contaminants in the direct amperometric mode with no evidence of any electrode fouling. As an example, the concentration limit of quantitation for 2‐chlorophenol was 100 nM or 13 ppb (S/N=3) and the relative standard deviation of the peak height for 9 injections was 4.7±0.5% (est. 1.1 nL inj.). The separation efficiency was greater than 100 000 plates/m for all seven solutes. The microelectrode was also employed for the indirect detection of the chlorinated phenols. In this approach, which is useful for detecting electroinactive solutes, ferrocene carboxylic acid was added to the run buffer as the electrophore. Good detection figures of merit were also achieved for the separation and detection of 2‐chlorophenol, 3‐chlorophenol, and 2,4‐dichlorophenol in this mode, although the linear dynamic range was not as wide and the limit of quantitation was not as low as in direct amperometry. For example, the concentration limit of quantitation for these pollutants was in the mid micromolar range (1–10 ppm) with excellent response reproducibility of 3.2±0.8%, or less.     

Two polydimethylsiloxane rod extraction methods for the sensitive determination of phenolic compounds in water samples

Simple, precise, and low‐cost methods for the simultaneous determination of phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds such as bisphenol A, trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 4‐nonylphenol, and 4‐octylphenol in water samples were developed. The Direct, in situ derivatization methods are based on polydimethylsiloxane rod extraction followed by liquid desorption and chromatographic analysis by liquid chromatography and diode array detection. Several parameters affecting the extraction and desorption of the phenolic compounds and their acetylated derivates were studied, as well as the chromatographic and detection conditions. For the direct method, determination coefficients (r²) > 0.990 and LODs in the 0.6–2 μg/L range were obtained for all compounds except bisphenol A (9.5 μg/L). With the derivatization‐based method, based on in situ acetylation, lower limits of detection (0.3–0.9 μg/L) were obtained for all the compounds with r² > 0.988 and RSDs in the 2–9% range. The developed methods were applied to the analysis of spiked water samples obtaining recoveries of between 60.2 and 131.7% for the direct method, and of between 76.6 and 108.2% for the derivatization‐based method. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using these two methods for determining bisphenol A, trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 4‐nonylphenol, and 4‐octylphenol in water.     

Development of a novel hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on oil‐in‐salt and its comparison with conventional one

A novel hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on oil‐in‐salt was proposed and introduced for the simultaneous extraction and enrichment of the main active compounds of hesperidin, honokiol, shikonin, magnolol, emodin, and β,β′‐dimethylacrylshikonin in a formula of Zi‐Cao‐Cheng‐Qi decoction and the single herb, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus , Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis , Radix et Rhizoma , and Lithospermum erythrorhizon , composing the formula prior to their analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The results obtained by the proposed procedure were compared with those obtained by conventional hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction, and the proposed procedure mechanism was described. In the procedure, a hollow‐fiber segment was first immersed in organic solvent to fill the solvent in the fiber lumen and wall pore, and then the fiber was again immersed into sodium chloride solution to cover a thin salt membrane on the fiber wall pore filling organic solvent. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors of the analytes were 0.6–109.4, linearities were 0.002–12 μg/mL with r ² ≥ 0.9950, detection limits were 0.6–12 ng/mL, respectively. The results showed that oil‐in‐salt hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction is a simple and effective sample pretreatment procedure and suitable for the simultaneous extraction and concentration of trace‐level active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine.     

Pipette vial dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of benzoylurea insecticide in fruit juice

A simple, sensitive, and efficient method of using a pipette vial to perform dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets was coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a diode array detector for the preconcentration and analysis of four benzoylurea insecticides in fruit juice. In this method, 1‐dodecanol was used as an extractant, and a snipped pipette was used as an experimental vial to simplify the procedure of collecting and separating solidified extractant. The experimental parameters were optimized using a Plackett–Burman design and one‐factor‐at‐a‐time method. Under the optimal conditions in the water model, the limits of detection for analytes varied from 0.03 to 0.28 μg/L, and the enrichment factors ranged from 147 to 206. Linearity was achieved for diflubenzuron and flufenoxuron in a range of 0.5–500 μg/L, for hexaflumuron in a range of 1–500 μg/L, and for triflumuron in a range of 5–500 μg/L. The correlation coefficients for the analytes ranged from 0.9986 to 0.9994 with recoveries of 91.4–110.9%. Finally, the developed technique was successfully applied to fruit juice samples with acceptable results. The relative standard deviations of the analytes at two spiking levels (50 and 200 μg/L) varied between 0.2 and 4.5%.     

Evaluation of two membrane‐based microextraction techniques for the determination of endocrine disruptors in aqueous samples by HPLC with diode array detection

In this study, the viability of two membrane‐based microextraction techniques for the determination of endocrine disruptors by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection was evaluated: hollow fiber microporous membrane liquid–liquid extraction and hollow‐fiber‐supported dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction. The extraction efficiencies obtained for methylparaben, ethylparaben, bisphenol A, benzophenone, and 2‐ethylhexyl‐4‐methoxycinnamate from aqueous matrices obtained using both approaches were compared and showed that hollow fiber microporous membrane liquid–liquid extraction exhibited higher extraction efficiency for most of the compounds studied. Therefore, a detailed optimization of the extraction procedure was carried out with this technique. The optimization of the extraction conditions and liquid desorption were performed by univariate analysis. The optimal conditions for the method were supported liquid membrane with 1‐octanol for 10 s, sample pH 7, addition of 15% w/v of NaCl, extraction time of 30 min, and liquid desorption in 150 μL of acetonitrile/methanol (50:50 v/v) for 5 min. The linear correlation coefficients were higher than 0.9936. The limits of detection were 0.5–4.6 μg/L and the limits of quantification were 2–16 μg/L. The analyte relative recoveries were 67–116%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 15.5%.     

Trace‐level screening of dichlorophenols in processed dairy milk by headspace gas chromatography

A headspace gas chromatographic approach based on flame ionization detection has been successfully developed for the determination of parts‐per‐billion levels of 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2,6‐dichlorophenol in processed dairy milk. Under the right environmental conditions, these compounds are produced as products of the reductive dechlorination of pentachlorophenol. Maintaining a highly inert chromatographic system and employing a recently commercialized inert capillary column permits the analysis of 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2,6‐dichlorophenol without derivatization. Further, a detection limit improvement of more than a factor of two was achieved by adding sodium sulfate to substantially decrease the solute partition coefficient in the matrix. A detection limit of 1 ng/g and a limit of quantitation of 2 ng/g were attained, and complete analysis can be conducted in < 13 min. Reproducibility of area counts over a range from 20 to 200 ng/g and over a period of 2 days were found to be less than 6% (n = 20). A linear range from 5 to 500 ng/g with a correlation coefficient of at least 0.9992 was obtained for 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 2,6‐dichlorophenol. Spike recoveries from 10 to 500 ng/g for all the analytes range from 92 to 102%.     

Air‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction coupled with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and a drying step for extraction and preconcentration of some phthalate esters from edible oils prior to their determination by GC

In this work, a new, cheap, simple, fast, and low organic solvent consuming procedure is proposed for isolation, enrichment, and gas chromatographic determination of some phthalate esters in edible oils. The method is based on a combination of air‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by a drying step under N₂ gas. Several experimental parameters affecting both extraction and preconcentration steps were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions for the proposed method, wide linear ranges (0.05–800 μg/L) and low detection limits (0.007–0.023 μg/L) were observed. The ranges of enrichment factors and extraction recoveries were 68–340 and 14–68%, respectively. Eventually, the target analytes were successfully determined in different edible oils using the proposed method.     

Microwave‐assisted preparation of magnetic nanoparticles modified with graphene oxide for the extraction and analysis of phenolic compounds

Here in, magnetic nanoparticles combined with graphene oxide adsorbent were fabricated via a microwave‐assisted synthesis method, and used in the solid‐phase extraction of three phenolic compounds (phenol, 4‐nitrophenol, and m‐methylphenol) in environmental water samples. Various instrumental methods were employed to characterize the magnetic nanoparticles modified with graphene oxide. The influence of experimental parameters, such as desorption conditions, amount of adsorbent, extraction time, and pH, on the extraction efficiency was investigated. Owing to the high surface area and excellent adsorption capacity of the prepared material, satisfactory extraction was achieved. Under optimum conditions, a linear response was observed in the concentration range of 1.000–100.0 μg/L for phenol, 0.996–99.6 μg/L for 4‐nitrophenol, and 0.975–97.5 μg/L for m‐methylphenol, with correlation coefficients in the range of 0.9995–0.9997. The limit of detection (signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3) of the method varied between 0.5 and 0.8 μg/L. The relative standard deviations were <5.2%. The recovery percentages of the method were in the range of 89.1–104.3%. The results indicate that the graphene oxide‐modified magnetic nanoparticles possess high adsorptive abilities toward phenolic compounds in environmental water samples.     

Extraction and determination of trace amounts of three anticancer pharmaceuticals in urine by three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on two immiscible organic solvents followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography

An automated three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on two immiscible organic solvents followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV–Vis detection method was applied for the extraction and determination of exemestane, letrozole, and paclitaxel in water and urine samples. n‐Dodecane was selected as the supported liquid membrane and its polarity was justified by trioctylphosphine oxide. Acetonitrile was used as an organic acceptor phase with desirable immiscibility having n‐dodecane. All the effective parameters of the microextraction procedure such as type of the organic acceptor phase, the supported liquid membrane composition, extraction time, pH of the donor phase, hollow fiber length, stirring rate, and ionic strength were evaluated and optimized separately by a one variable at‐a‐time method. Under the optimal conditions, the linear dynamic ranges were 1.8–200 (R² = 0.9991), 0.9–200 (R² = 0.9987) and 1.2–200 μg/L (R² = 0.9983), and the limits of detection were 0.6, 0.3, and 0.4 μg/L for exemestane, letrozole, and paclitaxel, respectively. To evaluate the capability of the proposed method in the analysis of biological samples, three different urinary samples were analyzed under the optimal conditions. The relative recoveries of the three pharmaceuticals were in the range of 91–107.3% for these three analytes.