Recent Advances in Sample Preparation for Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Analysis

The use of cosmetics and personal care products is increasing worldwide. Their high matrix complexity, together with the wide range of products currently marketed under different forms imply a challenge for their analysis, most of them requiring a sample pre-treatment step before analysis. Classical sample preparation methodologies involve large amounts of organic solvents as well as multiple steps resulting in large time consumption. Therefore, in recent years, the trends have been moved towards the development of simple, sustainable, and environmentally friendly methodologies in two ways: (i) the miniaturization of conventional procedures allowing a reduction in the consumption of solvents and reagents; and (ii) the development and application of sorbent- and liquid-based microextraction technologies to obtain a high analyte enrichment, avoiding or significantly reducing the use of organic solvents. This review provides an overview of analytical methodology during the last ten years, placing special emphasis on sample preparation to analyse cosmetics and personal care products. The use of liquid–liquid and solid–liquid extraction (LLE, SLE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), solid-phase extraction (SPE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), matrix solid-phase extraction (MSPD), and liquid- and sorbent-based microextraction techniques will be reviewed. The most recent advances and future trends including the development of new materials and green solvents will be also addressed.     

Composite Material that Comprised Metal–Organic Nanotubes and a Sponge as a High‐Performance Adsorbent for the Extraction of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Environmental Water Samples

A composite material that comprised metal–organic nanotubes (MONTs) and a sponge, Cu?MONTs?sponge, was synthesized by using a rapid and convenient surfactant‐assisted dip‐coating method and used as a high‐performance adsorbent for the solid‐phase extraction of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) from environmental water samples. By adjusting the surfactant concentration, a composite material that contained metal–organic nanotubes and a macroporous 3D porous sponge was constructed. This modified sponge achieved outstanding reproducibility as an adsorbent, with the adsorption of trace or ultratrace amounts of contaminants. Moreover, this composite material was conveniently recycled and its extraction efficiency only decreased by 6.3–12.1 % after 30 adsorption/desorption cycles. The resulting composite exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for PPCPs, which was attributed to its unique porous structure, natural hydrophobicity, and electrostatic interactions between the metal–organic nanotubes and analyte molecules. This Cu?MONTs?sponge material is an ideal adsorbent for the extraction of trace amounts of PPCPs from environmental water samples.