Ultrasensitive direct determination of BTEX in polluted soils using a simple and novel pressure-controlled solid-phase microextraction setup

A pressure-controlled headspace solid-phase microextraction (PC-HS-SPME) setup was developed, by reconsidering the strengths and weaknesses points of the similar reported systems. The new setup was coupled with gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID) for direct analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) in contaminated soils, without any sample preparation step. The important experimental factors, affecting the performance of the method, including volumes of extraction and vacuum vials, type of SPME fiber, extraction time and temperature, moisture content of the sample, and sonication time were studied and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, good linearity of the calibration curves (R² > 0.997) was obtained in the concentration range of 0.1–20,000 ng g^?1. The limits of detections were found to be 0.001–0.08 ng g^?1. The relative standard deviations, for six repetitive analyses of 100 ng g^?1 BTEX, were obtained to be 5.7–12.3%. The PC-HS-SPME–GC–FID procedure was successfully applied for the extraction and determination of BTEX in the polluted soil samples.     

A highly thermal-resistant electrospun-based polyetherimide nanofibers coating for solid-phase microextraction

A high-temperature-resistant solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was prepared based on polyetherimide (PEI) by the electrospinning method. The PEI polymeric solution was converted to nanofibers using high voltages and directly coated on a stainless steel SPME needle. The scanning electron microscopy images of PEI coating showed fibers with diameter range of 500–650 nm with a homogeneous and smooth surface morphology. The SPME nanofibers coating was optimized for PEI percentage, electrospinning voltage, and time. The extraction efficiency of the coating was investigated for headspace SPME of some environmentally important polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous samples followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry measurement. In addition, the important extraction parameters including extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, as well as desorption temperature and time were investigated and optimized. The detection limits of the method under optimized conditions ranged from 1 to 5 ng L^?1 using time-scheduled selected ion monitoring mode. The relative standard deviations of the method were between 1.1 and 7.1 %, at a concentration level of 500 ng L^?1. The calibration curves of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons showed linearity in the range of 5–1000 ng L^?1. The developed method was successfully applied to real water samples and the relative recovery percentages obtained from the spiked water samples were from 84 to 98 % for all the selected analytes except for acenaphthene which was from 75 to 106 %.     

Single-walled carbon nanohorns immobilized on a microporous hollow polypropylene fiber as a sorbent for the extraction of volatile organic compounds from water samples

We have evaluated the behavior of single-walled carbon nanohorns as a sorbent for headspace and direct immersion (micro)solid phase extraction using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as model analytes. The conical carbon nanohorns were first oxidized in order to increase their solubility in water and organic solvents. A microporous hollow polypropylene fiber served as a mechanical support that provides a high surface area for nanoparticle retention. The extraction unit was directly placed in the liquid sample or the headspace of an aqueous standard or a water sample to extract and preconcentrate the VOCs. The variables affecting extraction have been optimized. The VOCs were then identified and quantified by GC/MS. We conclude that direct immersion of the fiber is the most adequate method for the extraction of VOCs from both liquid samples and headspace. Detection limits range from 3.5 to 4.3 ng L^?1 (excepted for toluene with 25 ng L^?1), and the precision (expressed as relative standard deviation) is between 3.9 and 9.6 %. The method was applied to the determination of toluene, ethylbenzene, various xylene isomers and styrene in bottled, river and tap waters, and the respective average recoveries of spiked samples are 95.6, 98.2 and 86.0 %.

A Modified Nanoporous Silica Aerogel as a New Sorbent for Needle Trap Extraction of Chlorobenzenes from Water Samples

In this work, a modified nanoporous silica aerogel was used as a new sorbent for headspace needle trap extraction of chlorobenzenes from aqueous samples. The needle trap extraction is derived from solid-phase microextraction and the sorbent is inside the needle. The thermal stability and functional groups of the sorbent were studied by TG/DTA and FT-IR, respectively. The modified silica aerogels, characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, showed a three-dimensional network containing a homogeneous pore structure with pore sizes of a few tens of nm and a sponge-like microstructure. The developed method was applied to the trace level extraction of some chlorobenzene compounds from aqueous samples. The influential parameters on the extraction efficiency, including the extraction temperature, ionic strength and extraction time were investigated and optimized. Under optimized conditions, the detection and quantification limits were in the range of 0.4–0.8 and 1–3 ng L^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviation values for water spiked with chlorobenzenes at 100 ng L^?1 under optimum conditions were 3–7%. The dynamic linear range of the method in the range of 3–3000 ng L^?1 was investigated. Finally, the current method for the analysis of real water samples containing spiked chlorobenzenes was applied and the relative recovery values were found to be in the range of 96–101%.     

Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of solid-phase microextraction fibers using conductive polymers: application in extraction of benzaldehyde from aqueous solution

In this work, polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polyaniline/polypyrrole composite fibers were synthesized in the absence and presence of oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes using electrochemical cyclic voltammetry with CF₃COOH as dopant. Thermal stability of these fibers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Then, headspace solid-phase microextraction process coupled with gas chromatography and flame ionization detector was used for comparing extraction capability of benzaldehyde from aqueous solution. Since polyaniline fiber showed better extraction efficiency than the other fibers, its preparation conditions including acid concentration, aniline concentration, scan rate, and amount of multiwalled carbon nanotubes were studied by means of the “one-factor-at-a-time method”. The analytical performance of polyaniline fibers were investigated to determine benzaldehyde from the aqueous solution. The morphology and texture of polyaniline fibers were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The attained results revealed that the perfect conditions for acid concentration, aniline concentration, scan rate, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes content were 0.5 M, 0.2 M, 25 mV s^?1, and 0.02 wt%, respectively. The limit of detection for the proposed polyaniline fiber was 15 ng ml^?1.     

Sol-Gel-based SPME and GC–MS for Trace Determination of Geosmin in Water and Apple Juice Samples

A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method was developed for the trace determination of geosmin in water and apple juice samples. A poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) fiber was synthesized as coated fiber using sol-gel methodology. After performing the extraction in the headspace, the fiber was introduced directly into the injection port of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) using electron impact (EI) ionization mode. One-at-the-time optimization strategy was applied to investigate and optimize important extraction parameters such as extraction temperature and time, ionic strength, headspace volume, and desorption temperature and time. The analytical data exhibited an RSD of 2–15%, a linear calibration range of 1–1,000 ng L^?1, and a detection limit of 0.30 ng L^?1 using selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The proposed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of geosmin in the spiked real water and apple juice samples and a relative recovery of 95–102% were achieved. The developed method offers the advantage of being simple to use, with shorter analysis times, lower cost of equipment, very little matrix effect, and high relative recovery in comparison to conventional methods of analysis.     

A Sensitive Method for Methyl tert-Butyl Ether Analysis in Water Samples by a New HS-SPME Vial and GC

In this study, a new sample vial has been designed for the extraction and determination of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in water samples by headspace solid-phase microextraction method. The special feature of this new vial is cooling the HS above the aqueous sample by cold water stream for maximum analyte absorption on SPME fiber coating. The analysis was by a gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector and a capillary column (CP-sil 13 CB). Some significant variables affecting the extraction procedure were optimized. By use of divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber, a sample volume of 10 mL, stirring rate of 1,000 rpm, salt concentration of 24%, extraction time of 15 min and extraction temperature of 83 °C, detection limit of 0.022 μg L^?1 and a good linearity (R ² = 0.998) in a calibration range of 0.1–400 μg L^?1 were achieved. The relative standard deviation for triplicate runs ranged between 6 and 8%. The method could be applied to the analysis of trace levels of MTBE in various water samples.     

Determination of Biodegradation Process of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes in Seabed Sediment by Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are commonly found in crude oil and are used in geochemical investigations as direct indicators of the presence of oil and gas. BTEX are easily volatile and can be degraded by microorganisms, which affect their precise measurement seriously. A method for determining the biodegradation process of BTEX in seabed sediment using dynamic headspace (purge and trap) gas chromatography with a photoionization detector (PID) was developed, which had a detection limit of 7.3–13.2 ng L^?1 and a recovery rate of 91.6–95.0%. The decrease in the concentration of BTEX components was monitored in seabed sediment samples, which was caused by microorganism biodegradation. The results of BTEX biodegradation process were of great significance in the collection, transportation, preservation, and measurement of seabed sediment samples in the geochemical investigations of oil and gas.     

Ordered Nanoporous Carbon-Based SPME and Determination by GC

CMK-1 (carbon mesoporous from Korea) type ordered nanoporous carbon was investigated as a novel solid-phase microextraction fiber for the first time. The microextraction process was coupled with GC-FID and used to extract benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) from the head space of the solution samples. Prepared fibers featured advantages like easy and fast preparation, high thermal and mechanical stability in which a fiber could be used for more than 60 tests. Employing Taguchi method and orthogonal array design; OA₁₆ (4⁵), the HS-SPME of BTEX was optimized. Under the optimized conditions for all BTEX components, the linearity was from 3 to 800 μg L^?1, the relative standard deviation (RSD%) of the method was between 4.2 and 9.4% and limit of detections was between 0.27 and 1.1 μg L^?1. The recovery values were from 87.1 to 106.2% in water samples. Finally, the applicability of the proposed method was evaluated by the extraction and determination of BTEX in the water and petrochemical samples.     

Electrodeposition of a copolymer nanocomposite for the headspace solid-phase microextraction of benzene,toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes

In this study, polyaniline-co-poly(o-toluidine)/graphene oxide nanosheets composite was electrodeposited on the surface of a stainless steel wire as a new coating for headspace solid-phase microextraction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The characteristics of the new coating were evaluated by the scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To study the coating performance, the influence of various parameters such as deposition potential and time, concentration of the monomers and GONSs, desorption temperature and time, extraction temperature and time and ionic strength on BTEX extraction efficiency was investigated. At the optimum conditions, the linear ranges and detection limits (S/N?=?3) were found 0.01–50 and 0.001–0.05 ng mL^?1, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) at 0.5 ng mL^?1 concentration level (n?=?5) using a single-fiber were from 5.4 to 8.3 and 7.5 to 10.3%, respectively. The fiber-to-fiber RSDs % (n?=?3) was between 8.4 and 12.5%. Finally, the development method was applied to the analysis of various real samples.     

Determination of Gold by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Hollow Fiber Liquid Phase Microextraction Using Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

A novel method to preconcentrate gold was developed employing a synergistic enhancement of a room temperature ionic liquid combined with hollow fiber liquid phase micro-extraction with flame atomic absorption spectrometry detection. The method is based on the complexation of gold with dithizone. The formed hydrophobic complex was subsequently extracted into the lumen of a hollow fiber. The organic phase was siphoned into FAAS for the determination. A room temperature ionic liquid and dithizone were used the enhancement reagent and chelating reagent, respectively. The addition of a room temperature ionic liquid led to a five-fold improvement in the extraction of gold. The 1-octanol was immobilized in the pores of the polypropylene hollow fiber as the liquid membrane and was also used as the acceptor solution. Some parameters that influenced extraction and determination were evaluated in detail, such as concentrations of the ionic liquid and dithizone, pH of samples, stirring rates, extraction time, and interferences. Under optimized conditions, a detection limit of 0.9 ng mL^?1 and an enrichment factor of 130 were achieved. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.7% for Au (40 ng mL^?1, n = 5). The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of gold in certified reference environmental samples and ore samples with satisfactory results.     

Miniaturized extraction methods of triclosan from aqueous and fish roe samples. Bioconcentration studies in zebrafish larvae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>)

Triclosan, an antibacterial and antifungal agent, is widely used in household and personal care products, processed foods and food packaging, etc., and thus also released into the environment. Triclosan is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic organisms and bioaccumulates in fish tissue. Here, we propose a new miniaturized triclosan extraction method for aqueous and fish roe samples, based on the use of a vortex mixer and an ultrasonic probe, respectively, and useful for triclosan determination by gas chromatography coupled to a micro electron capture detector. Different solvents for extraction and sorbents for clean-up purposes were tested. Multivariate optimization of the variables affecting ultrasonic extraction (ultrasound radiation amplitude, sonication time, sample temperature, and the ratio of sample amount and extracting volume) was carried out. Solvent extraction using ethyl acetate and further clean-up with mixed bed cartridges with two layers of Florisil® and Florisil® impregnated with 10% sulfuric acid only for fish roe samples was finally selected. Extraction efficiencies of up to 95% and 90%, and detection limits of 0.165 ng ml^?1 and 2.7 ng g^?1 for aqueous and fish roe samples were obtained, respectively. The optimized method was used in bioconcentration studies with zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio), as an alternative method to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development technical guideline 305. Bioconcentration values, BCF?=?2,630 and 2,018 at exposure concentrations of 30 and 3 μg L^?1, respectively, were assessed. These results are in agreement with those reported in the literature, showing the feasibility of the method for estimation of toxicokinetic parameters and bioconcentration factors using zebrafish larvae instead of adult fishes, reducing considerable animal testing, as suggested by the European legislation.     

A Sensitive Method for Methyl tert-Butyl Ether Analysis in Water Samples by a New HS-SPME Vial and GC

In this study, a new sample vial has been designed for the extraction and determination of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in water samples by headspace solid-phase microextraction method. The special feature of this new vial is cooling the HS above the aqueous sample by cold water stream for maximum analyte absorption on SPME fiber coating. The analysis was by a gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector and a capillary column (CP-sil 13 CB). Some significant variables affecting the extraction procedure were optimized. By use of divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber, a sample volume of 10 mL, stirring rate of 1,000 rpm, salt concentration of 24%, extraction time of 15 min and extraction temperature of 83 °C, detection limit of 0.022 μg L⁻¹ and a good linearity (R ² = 0.998) in a calibration range of 0.1–400 μg L⁻¹ were achieved. The relative standard deviation for triplicate runs ranged between 6 and 8%. The method could be applied to the analysis of trace levels of MTBE in various water samples.

     

Multivariate optimization of the hollow fiber-based liquid phase microextraction of lead in human blood and urine samples using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The present study developed a liquid-phase microextraction based on hollow fiber coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for the effective extraction and quantitation of lead from urine and blood samples. A multivariate design was used for the optimization of the experimental conditions to ensure high extraction efficiency. Six factors (solvent type, chelating agent, time extraction, temperature, donor phase pH, and acceptor phase pH) were obtained by screening eleven factors of the Plackett–Burman design; these were optimized using the central composite design of response surface methodology. The optimum conditions of donor phase pH, acceptor phase pH, temperature, and extraction time were 5, 9.5, 40 °C, and 120 min, respectively. In addition, oleic acid containing dicyclohexyl-18-krone-6 was used for the membrane phase. Under optimal conditions, the enrichment factor, limit of detection, and limit of quantification were obtained in the ranges of 21.3–18.7, 0.001–0.002 ng mL^?1, and 0.008–0.01 ng mL^?1, respectively, in urine and blood samples. The linearity of the calibration curve was established for the concentration of Pb in the range of 1–50 ng mL^?1 (r²?=?0.9983). Finally, the performance of the developed method was evaluated for the determination of lead in urine and blood samples, and satisfactory results were obtained (RSDs <?10% with recovery >?95).     

New Grafted Nanosilica-Based Sorbent for Needle Trap Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Water Samples Followed by GC/MS

In this work, the preparation of a new grafted nanosilica-based sorbent was extensively investigated. An inexpensive modifier, cis-9-octadecenoic acid (oleic acid) was selected to be grafted on the surface of the nanosilica particles as the support. The grafting process was accurately confirmed by Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry (FT-IR). Applicability of the prepared sorbent was thoroughly examined by needle trap extraction (NTE) method. The grafted sorbent was dispersed in the appropriate solvent and carefully packed inside a steel needle. Feasibility of the method was completely examined using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as model compounds. For extraction of analytes from aqueous samples, the prepared needle trap device (NTD) was placed in the headspace of the sample and another needle was also inserted into the sample solution to purge the circulating headspace into the sample. For increasing the extraction efficiency, influencing parameters including extraction time and temperature, flow rate of analyte through the needle trap, the ionic strength, desorption temperature, and time were optimized. The limit of detection (LOD) and relative standard deviation (RSD) values of the method under optimized conditions were 2?C5 ng L^?1 and 1.1?C4.8%, respectively. The RSD% for fluorene was somewhat higher and a value of 16.8% at 40 ng L^?1 was achieved. Finally the developed method was applied to the analysis of tap water and Zayandeh-roud river samples and the relative recovery (RR %) values were found to be in the range of 77?C109%, under the optimized conditions.     

Determination of BTEX in Water Samples with an SPME Hollow Fiber Coated Copper Wire

A piece of copper wire coated with a polypropylene hollow fiber membrane was used as an SPME fiber and its efficiency for extraction of BTEX compounds from the headspace of water samples prior to GC analysis was evaluated. Under optimum extraction conditions, limits of detection for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-p-xylene, and o-xylene were found to be 0.11, 0.22, 0.26, 0.37, and 0.26 μg L^?1, respectively. Low detection limits, wide linear dynamic ranges, good reproducibility (RSD% <4), high fiber capacity and higher mechanical durability are some of the most important advantages of the new fiber.     

Headspace Solid‐Phase Microextraction (HS‐SPME) for the Determination of Benzene,Toluene, Ethylbenzene,and Xylenes (BTEX) in Foundry Molding Sand

Abstract

The use of headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) to determine benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in foundry molding sand, specifically a “green sand” (clay‐bonded sand) was investigated. The BTEX extraction was conducted using a 75 µM Carboxen‐polydimethylsiloxane (CAR‐PDMS) fiber, which was suspended above 10 g of sample. The SPME fiber was desorbed in a gas chromatograph injector port (280°C for 1 min) and the analytes were characterized by mass spectrometry. The effects of extraction time and temperature, water content, and clay and bituminous coal percentage on HS‐SPME of BTEX were investigated. Because green sands contain bentonite clay and carbonaceous material such as crushed bituminous coal, a matrix effect was observed. The detection limits for BTEX were determined to be ≤0.18 ng g^?1 of green sand.     

Fluorimetric Determination of Gatifloxacin in Aqueous,Pure and Pharmaceutical Formulations

Abstract

A spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of gatifloxacin. The emission peak for gatifloxacin was recorded at 495 nm upon excitation at 291 nm. The fluorescence process was pH dependent. The dynamic range for the method was 16–80 ng ml^?1with detection limit of 3.97 ng ml^?1. A linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and the concentration of gatifloxacin solution was obtained with r ² of 0.9968. The method has successfully applied to the determination of gatifloxacin in pure, authentic and aqueous samples.     

Modified Polypyrrole with Tetrasulfonated Nickel Phthalocyanine as a Fiber for Solid-Phase Microextraction. Application to the Extraction of BTEX Compounds from Water Samples

Gold wire was coated with polypyrrole (PPY) by electropolymerization and used as a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber. The adsorptive property of the coating was modified by doping with tetrasulfonated nickel phthalocyanine (NiPcTS). The efficiency and reliability of this fiber was investigated for the extraction of BTEX compounds from the headspace of water samples. Monitoring of extraction efficiency was performed by capillary GC-FID. Effects of several factors such as electropolymerization time, salt addition, exposure time and stirring speed on extraction efficiency were studied. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 0.06 to 50 ng mL^?1 and the detection limits for BTEX compounds were 20–50 pg mL^?1. Comparing the results obtained using these fibers with results reported in the literature with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibers shows that under optimum conditions, the detection limits are comparable.     

Large Volume Headspace Analysis Using Solid-Phase Microcolumn Extraction

A rapid and simple large volume headspace (HS) sampling technique termed headspace solid-phase microcolumn extraction (HS-SPMCE) is described. HS gas above a liquid or solid sample is aspirated by attaching a gas-tight syringe onto a glass thermal desorption tube filled with Tenax sorbent. The trapped analytes are recovered by thermal desorption for gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and the xylene isomers (BTEX) are used as model compounds to demonstrate the application of the extraction procedure for water samples. The results of the tests of the effect of agitation time and aspiration rate on recovery of the analytes show a good robustness of the method. BTEX are determined in the linear range from 0.5 to 50.0 μg L^?1 with limits of detection (3 σ) ranging within 0.09–0.14 μg L^?1 (MS was in scan mode). The method provides a good repeatability (RSD < 9%) and only a negligible carryover effect was observed ( ≤0.05%) when analysing BTEX at concentration 50.0 μg L^?1.