Dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction coupled with pressure‐assisted electrokinetic injection for simultaneous enrichment of seven phenolic compounds in water samples followed by determination using capillary electrophoresis

Offline dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction combined with online pressure‐assisted electrokinetic injection was developed to simultaneously enrich seven phenolic compounds in water samples, followed by determination using capillary electrophoresis, namely phenol, 4‐chlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, 2‐chlorophenol, and 2,6‐dichlorophenol. Several parameters affecting separation performance of capillary electrophoresis and the enrichment efficiency of pressure‐assisted electrokinetic injection and dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction were systematically investigated. Under the optimal conditions, seven phenolic compounds were completely separated within 14 min and good enrichment factors were obtained of 61, 236, 3705, 3288, 920, 86, and 1807 for phenol, 4‐chlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, 2‐chlorophenol, and 2,6‐dichlorophenol, respectively. Good linearity was attained in the range of 0.1–200 μg/L for 2,4‐dichlorophenol, 0.5–200 μg/L for 4‐chlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, 2‐chlorophenol, and 2,6‐dichlorophenol, as well as 1–200 μg/L for phenol, with correlation coefficients (r) over 0.9905. The limits of detection and quantification ranging from 0.03–0.28 and 0.07–0.94 μg/L were attained. This two step enrichment method was potentially applicable for the rapid and simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds in water samples.     

Trace determination of five triazole fungicide residues in traditional Chinese medicine samples by dispersive solid‐phase extraction combined with ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and UHPLC–MS/MS

A novel and reliable method for determination of five triazole fungicide residues (triadimenol, tebuconazole, diniconazole, flutriafol, and hexaconazol) in traditional Chinese medicine samples was developed using dispersive solid‐phase extraction combined with ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction before ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The clean up of the extract was conducted using dispersive solid‐phase extraction by directly adding sorbents into the extraction solution, followed by shaking and centrifugation. After that, a mixture of 400 μL trichloromethane (extraction solvent) and 0.5 mL of the above supernatant was injected rapidly into water for the dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 2.0–400 (tebuconazole, diniconazole, and hexaconazole) and 4.0–800 ng/g (triadimenol and flutriafol) with the regression coefficients higher than 0.9958. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the present method were 0.5–1.1 and 1.8–4.0 ng/g, respectively. The recoveries of the target analytes ranged from 80.2 to 103.2%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis of five triazole fungicides in traditional Chinese medicine samples, and satisfactory results were obtained.     

Switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction versus dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction prior to HPLC‐UV for the determination and isolation of piperine from Piper nigrum L

Switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction and dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction were compared for the extraction of piperine from Piper nigrum L. prior to its analysis by using high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Under optimum conditions, limits of detection and quantitation were found as 0.2–0.6 and 0.7–2.0 μg/mg with the two methods, respectively. Calibration graphs showed good linearity with coefficients of determination (R²) higher than 0.9962 and percentage relative standard deviations lower than 6.8%. Both methods were efficiently used for the extraction of piperine from black and white pepper samples from different origins and percentage relative recoveries ranged between 90.0 and 106.0%. The results showed that switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent liquid‐liquid microextraction is a better alternative to dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction for the routine analysis of piperine in food samples. A novel scaled‐up dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method was also proposed for the isolation of piperine providing a yield of 102.9 ± 4.9% and purity higher than 98.0% as revealed by NMR spectroscopy.     

Magnetic solid‐phase extraction or dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for pyrethroid determination in environmental samples

The determination of 15 pyrethroids in soil and water samples was carried out by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Compounds were extracted from the soil samples (4 g) using solid–liquid extraction and then salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction. The acetonitrile phase obtained (0.8 mL) was used as a dispersant solvent, to which 75 μL of chloroform was added as an extractant solvent, submitting the mixture to dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction. For the analysis of water samples (40 mL), magnetic solid‐phase extraction was performed using nanocomposites of magnetic nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes as sorbent material (10 mg). The mixture was shaken for 45 min at room temperature before separation with a magnet and desorption with 3 mL of acetone using ultrasounds for 5 min. The solvent was evaporated and reconstituted with 100 μL acetonitrile before injection. Matrix‐matched calibration is recommended for quantification of soil samples, while water samples can be quantified by standards calibration. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.03–0.5 ng/g (soil) and 0.09–0.24 ng/mL (water), depending on the analyte. The analyzed environmental samples did not contain the studied pyrethroids, at least above the corresponding limits of detection.     

Preconcentration and determination of 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and experimental design

A method was developed to determine 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole in water and urine samples using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction technique coupled with ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry. It was essential to peruse the effect of all parameters that can likely influence the performance of extraction. The influence of parameters, such as dispersive and extraction solvent volume and sample volume, on dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was studied. The optimization was carried out by the central composite design method. The central composite design optimization method resulted in 1.10 mL dispersive solvent, 138.46 μL extraction solvent, and 4.46 mL sample volume. Under the optimal terms, the calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.003–0.18 and 0.007–0.18 μg/mL in water and urine samples, respectively. The limit of detection and quantification of the proposed approach for 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole were 0.013 and 0.044 μg/mL in water samples and 0.016 and 0.052 μg/mL in urine samples, respectively. The method was successfully applied to determination of 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole in urine and water samples.     

Ultrapreconcentration and determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water by solid‐phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and high‐performance liquid chromatography

Solid‐phase extraction coupled with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was developed as an ultra‐preconcentration method for the determination of four organophosphorus pesticides (isocarbophos, parathion‐methyl, triazophos and fenitrothion) in water samples. The analytes considered in this study were rapidly extracted and concentrated from large volumes of aqueous solutions (100 mL) by solid‐phase extraction coupled with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and then analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Experimental variables including type and volume of elution solvent, volume and flow rate of sample solution, salt concentration, type and volume of extraction solvent and sample solution pH were investigated for the solid‐phase extraction coupled with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with these analytes, and the best results were obtained using methanol as eluent and ethylene chloride as extraction solvent. Under the optimal conditions, an exhaustive extraction for four analytes (recoveries >86.9%) and high enrichment factors were attained. The limits of detection were between 0.021 and 0.15 μg/L. The relative standard deviations for 0.5 μg/L of the pesticides in water were in the range of 1.9–6.8% (n = 5). The proposed strategy offered the advantages of simple operation, high enrichment factor and sensitivity and was successfully applied to the determination of four organophosphorus pesticides in water samples.     

Dispersive solid‐phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction for simultaneous determination of seven succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides in watermelon by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

In this study, a simple and accurate sample preparation method based on dispersive solid‐phase extraction and dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction has been developed for the determination of seven novel succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides (isopyrazam, fluopyram, pydiflumetofen, boscalid, penthiopyrad, fluxapyroxad, and thifluzamide) in watermelon. The watermelon samples were extracted with acetonitrile, cleaned up by dispersive solid‐phase extraction procedure using primary secondary amine, extracted and concentrated by the dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction procedure with 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane, and then analyzed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The main experimental factors affecting the performance of dispersive solid‐phase extraction and dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction procedure on extraction efficiency were investigated. The proposed method had a good linearity in the range of 0.1–100 µg/kg with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.9979–0.9999. The limit of quantification of seven fungicides was 0.1 µg/kg in the method. The fortified recoveries of seven succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides at three levels ranged from 72.0 to 111.6% with relative standard deviations of 3.4–14.1% (n = 5). The proposed method was successfully used for the rapid determination of seven succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides in watermelon.     

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%.     

Vortex‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction using a low‐toxicity solvent for the determination of five organophosphorus pesticides in water samples by high‐performance liquid chromatography

Vortex‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection was applied to determine Isocarbophos, Parathion‐methyl, Triazophos, Phoxim and Chlorpyrifos‐methyl in water samples. 1‐Bromobutane was used as the extraction solvent, which has a higher density than water and low toxicity. Centrifugation and disperser solvent were not required in this microextraction procedure. The optimum extraction conditions for 15 mL water sample were: pH of the sample solution, 5; volume of the extraction solvent, 80 μL; vortex time, 2 min; salt addition, 0.5 g. Under the optimum conditions, enrichment factors ranging from 196 to 237 and limits of detection below 0.38 μg/L were obtained for the determination of target pesticides in water. Good linearities (r > 0.9992) were obtained within the range of 1–500 μg/L for all the compounds. The relative standard deviations were in the range of 1.62–2.86% and the recoveries of spiked samples ranged from 89.80 to 104.20%. The whole proposed methodology is simple, rapid, sensitive and environmentally friendly for determining traces of organophosphorus pesticides in the water samples.     

Temperature‐controlled liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous determination of diazinon and fenitrothion in water and fruit juice samples

A simple, environmentally benign, and rapid method based on temperature‐controlled liquid–liquid microextraction using a deep eutectic solvent was developed for the simultaneous extraction/preconcentration of diazinon and fenitrothion. The method involved the addition of deep eutectic solvent to the aqueous sample followed by heating the mixture in a 75°C water bath until the solvent was completely dissolved in the aqueous phase. Then, the resultant solution was cooled in an ice bath and a cloudy solution was formed. Afterward, the mixture was centrifuged and the enriched deep eutectic solvent phase was analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection for quantification of the analytes. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the limits of detection for diazinon and fenitrothion were 0.3 and 0.15 μg/L, respectively. The calibration curves for diazinon and fenitrothion exhibited linearity in the concentration range of 1–100 and 0.5–100 μg/L, respectively. The relative standard deviations for five replicate measurements at 10.0 μg/L level of analytes were less than 2.8 and 4.5% for intra‐ and interday assays, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of diazinon and fenitrothion in water and fruit juice samples.     

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the enrichment and sensitive determination of Sudan Red pollutants in water samples

Sudan Red pollutants have gained more attention in recent years. The present study described a simple and sensitive determination method for Sudan Red pollutants with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography. Chlorobenzene and ethanol were used as the extraction solvent and disperser solvent, respectively. The possible parameters such as the kind of solvents, ionic strength, and sample pH that could affect the enrichment have been optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the pollutants have been well enriched and the linear ranges of Sudan Red I and II were in the range of 0.3–40 μg/L, and the linear ranges of Sudan Red III and IV were in the range of 1.2–160 μg/L. The detection limits were in the range of 0.18–0.46 μg/L, and the precisions were in the range of 3.7–5.9%. All these demonstrated that the proposed method could be a good alternative for the routine analysis of Sudan Red pollutants in water samples.     

Ionic liquid chemically bonded basalt fibers for in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction

Ionic liquids have been widely used in different fields by advantage of their specific properties. In this work, 1‐methyl‐3‐(3‐trimethoxysilyl propyl)imidazolium chloride was prepared and chemically bonded onto basalt fibers for in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction. Through combining in‐tube extraction device with high‐performance liquid chromatography equipped with a diode array detector, an online enrichment and analysis method for eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was established under the optimum conditions. A good enrichment factor (52–814), good linearity (0.10–15 and 0.20–15 μg/L), low limits of detection (0.03–0.05 μg/L), and low limits of quantitation (0.10–0.20 μg/L) were achieved using a sample volume of 50 mL. Analysis method was applied to the real samples including the groundwater and wastewater from a chemical industry park, some target analytes were detected and the relative recoveries were in the range of 80.4–116.8%.     

Ion‐pair switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent‐based homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction for the determination of paraquat in environmental and biological samples before high‐performance liquid chromatography

An approach involving ion‐pair switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent‐based homogeneous liquid–liquid microextraction coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography has been applied for the preconcentration and separation of paraquat in a real sample. A mixture of triethylamine and water was used as the switchable‐hydrophilicity solvent. The pH was regulated using carbon dioxide; hence the ratio of the ionized and non‐ionized form of triethylamine could control the optimum conditions. Sodium dodecyl sulfate was utilized as an ion‐pairing agent. The ion‐associate complex formed between the cationic paraquat and sodium dodecyl sulfate was extracted into triethylamine. The separation of the two phases was carried out by the addition of sodium hydroxide, which changed the ionization state of triethylamine. The effects of some important parameters on the extraction recovery were investigated. Under the optimum conditions (500 μL of the extraction solvent, 1 mg sodium dodecyl sulfate, 2.0 mL of 10 mol/L sodium hydroxide, and pH 4), the limit of detection and the limit of quantification were 0.2 and 0.5 μg/L, respectively, with preconcentration factor of 74. The precision (RSD, n  = 10) was  <5%. The recovery of the analyte in environmental and biological samples was in the range of 90.0–92.3%.     

Determination of 19 sulfonamides residues in pork samples by combining QuEChERS with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by UHPLC–MS/MS

A new simple and rapid pretreatment method for simultaneous determination of 19 sulfonamides in pork samples was developed through combining the QuEChERS method with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The sample preparation involves extraction/partitioning with QuEChERS method followed by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using tetrachloroethane as extractive solvent and the acetonitrile extract as dispersive solvent that obtained by QuEChERS. The enriched tetrachloroethane organic phase by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was evaporated, reconstituted with 100 μL acetonitrile/water (1:9 v/v) and injected into an ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% v/v formic acid under gradient elution and separated using a BHE C₁₈ column. Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated. Matrix‐matched calibration curves were established. Good linear relationships were obtained for all analytes in a range of 2.0–100 μg/kg and the limits of detection were 0.04–0.49 μg/kg. Average recoveries at three spiking levels were in the range of 78.3–106.1% with relative standard deviations less than 12.7% (n = 6). The developed method was successfully applied to determine sulfonamide residues in pork samples.     

In situ derivatization and hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction to determine sulfonamides in water using UHPLC with fluorescence detection

A sensitive method for determining sulfonamides in water was developed and validated through in situ derivatization and hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction with ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. The target sulfonamides were sulfadiazine, sulfacetamide, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfisoxazole. Following in situ derivatization with fluorescamine, three‐phase hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction with an S 6/2 polypropylene hollow‐fiber membrane was applied automatically using a multipurpose autosampler. Experimental parameters including derivatization time, choice of organic phase, pH of donor and acceptor phase, stirring rate, extraction temperature and time were optimized. Under optimized conditions, the target sulfonamides achieved excellent linearity with correlation coefficients of 0.9924–0.9994 within the concentration range of 0.05–5 μg/L. The limits of detection of the eight sulfonamides were 3.1–11.2 ng/L, and the limits of quantification were 10.3–37.3 ng/L. Enrichment factors of 0.1 and 5 μg/L sulfonamides spiked in lake water were 14–60, and recoveries were 56–113% with relative standard derivations of 3–19%. Applied with the developed method, sulfamerazine and sulfamethoxazole were measurable in both influent and effluent water of the three sewage treatment plants in Guangzhou, China. The developed method was sensitive and provided an alternative method for simultaneously enriching and quantifying multiple sulfonamides in environmental water.     

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.     

Effervescence‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using a solid effervescent agent as a novel dispersion technique for the analysis of fungicides in apple juice

A novel effervescence‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method has been developed for the determination of four fungicides in apple juice samples. In this method, a solid effervescent agent is added into samples to assist the dispersion of extraction solvent. The effervescent agent is environmentally friendly and only produces an increase in the ionic strength and a negligible variation in the pH value of the aqueous sample, which does not interfere with the extraction of the analytes. The parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated including the composition of effervescent agent, effervescent agent amount, formulation of effervescent agent, adding mode of effervescent agent, type and volume of extraction solvent, and pH. Under optimized conditions, the method showed a good linearity within the range of 0.05–2 mg/L for pyrimethanil, fludioxonil, and cyprodinil, and 0.1–4 mg/L for kresoxim‐methyl, with the correlation coefficients >0.998. The limits of detection for the method ranged between 0.005 and 0.01 mg/L. The recoveries of the target fungicides in apple juice samples were in the range of 72.4–110.8% with the relative standard deviations ranging from 1.2 to 6.8%.     

Preparation of magnetic mesoporous silica composite for the solid‐phase microextraction of diazinon and malathion before their determination by high‐performance liquid chromatography

A novel magnetic mesoporous silica material was synthesized and used as the sorbent for the magnetic solid‐phase microextraction of diazinon and malathion before their quantification by high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The sorbent was synthesized by a surfactant‐templated one‐pot sol–gel procedure using SiO₂‐coated Fe₃O₄ as the magnetic support, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the template and tetraethyl orthosilicate as the silicon source. The characteristics of the prepared sorbent were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The sorbent exhibited a high maximum adsorption capacity of 19.2 and 9.4 mg/g for diazinon and malathion, respectively. The parameters affecting the microextraction were optimized by the MultiSimplex method. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graphs were linear in the concentration ranges of 0.3–50.0 and 0.5–50 μg/L with the limits of detection of 0.09 and 0.14 μg/L for diazinon and malathion, respectively. The relative standard deviations (n = 5) at a concentration level of 10.0 μg/L of analytes were less than 2.5 and 4% for intra and interday, respectively. The developed method was successfully used for the determination of diazinon and malathion in apple, tomato, cucumber, tap water, and well water samples.     

Development of a solid‐phase microextraction fiber by the chemical binding of graphene oxide on a silver‐coated stainless‐steel wire with an ionic liquid as the crosslinking agent

Graphene oxide was bonded onto a silver‐coated stainless‐steel wire using an ionic liquid as the crosslinking agent by a layer‐by‐layer strategy. The novel solid‐phase microextraction fiber was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and Raman microscopy. A multilayer graphene oxide layer was closely coated onto the supporting substrate. The thickness of the coating was about 4 μm. Coupled with gas chromatography, the fiber was evaluated using five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, 1,2‐benzophenanthrene, and benzo(a)pyrene) as model analytes in direct‐immersion mode. The main conditions (extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, and desorption time) were optimized by a factor‐by‐factor optimization. The as‐established method exhibited a wide linearity range (0.5–200 μg/L) and low limits of determination (0.05–0.10 μg/L). It was applied to analyze environmental water samples of rain and river water. Three kinds of the model analytes were quantified and the recoveries of samples spiked at 10 μg/L were in the range of 92.3–120 and 93.8–115%, respectively. The obtained results indicated the fiber was efficient for solid‐phase microextraction analysis.     

Analysis of microcystins using high‐performance liquid chromatography and magnetic solid‐phase extraction with silica‐coated magnetite with cetylpyridinium chloride

Microcystins (MCs), produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, can be serious water pollutants, so it is important to monitor their concentration in drinking water. We have developed a method for rapid and accurate determination of microcystin levels in environmental water, using magnetic solid‐phase extraction and high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The magnetic composite material, which was combined with cetylpyridinium chloride, was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The optimal extraction of microcystins in water sample was achieved by optimizing the amount of adsorbent, time of adsorption, ratio of eluting solvent, and volume of eluent. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection of MC‐LR was 0.001 μg/L, and the limit of quantification was 0.0028 μg/L. The limit of detection of MC‐RR was 0.001 μg/L, and the limit of quantification was 0.003 μg/L. These values are far lower than those established by the International Health Organization for the maximum concentration of microcystins in drinking water. The magnetic solid‐phase extraction adsorbent used in this method has the advantages of simple preparation, low price, and easy solid–liquid separation, and it can be used for the rapid and sensitive monitoring of trace microcystins in environmental water samples.