Novel unbreakable solid-phase microextraction fiber by electrodeposition of silica sol-gel on gold

A new technique for preparation of an unbreakable solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber, using sol-gel technology is developed. Primarily, an ultrathin two-dimensional intermediate film was prepared by hydrolysis of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-1-propanthiol self-assembled monolayer grafted onto gold, then a stationary phase by electrodeposition of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate as a precursor, tetramethyl orthosilicate and polyethylene glycol as a coating polymer was produced. The scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the new fiber exhibits a rather porous and homogenous surface. The thermal stability of the fabricated fiber was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The applicability of the prepared fiber coating in conjunction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was examined by SPME of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as model analytes, from aquatic media. An extraction time of 20 min at 50 °C gave maximum peak areas when NaCl, 15% was added to the aqueous samples. Limits of detection were in the range of 0.01-0.02 ng/mL and relative standard deviation values were in the range of 4-16% at 1 ng/mL. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of real water samples while the relative recovery percentage was in the range of 102-118%.     

Electroless deposition of silver nanofractals on copper wire by galvanic displacement as a simple technique for preparation of porous solid‐phase microextraction fibers

A novel and porous solid‐phase microextraction fiber was prepared by quick and simple galvanic displacement reaction and applied to the determination of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sunflower oil. The parameters affecting the porosity and thickness of the fiber, and parameters affecting the extraction efficiency, including the extraction time, temperature, and ionic strength, were investigated and optimized. The morphology of prepared fiber was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy and thermal and chemical stabilities of the fiber were studied. Under the optimum conditions, the limits of detection ranged between 0.1 ng/mL for pyrene to 1.2 ng/mL for anthracene, and LOQ ranged between 0.3 ng/mL for pyrene to 3.6 ng/mL for anthracene. The relative standard deviations, including repeatability (within fibers) and reproducibility (between fibers), varied between 3.2–8.9 and 5.6–9.8%, respectively.     

Application of a new fiber coating based on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide for the cold‐fiber headspace solid‐phase microextraction of tricyclic antidepressants

A new fiber based on the electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide was prepared on a copper wire for solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) applications. The prepared fiber was used for the SPME and gas chromatographic analysis of tricyclic antidepressants (TCADs), including amitriptyline, trimipramine, and clomipramine. The feasibility of direct‐immersion and headspace modes of SPME for the determination of TCADs was studied. The effects of four parameters including pH, salt content, extraction temperature with and without cooling the fiber, and extraction time were investigated. The comparison showed that headspace cold fiber SPME results in the best outcome for the extraction of TCADs. Under the optimized conditions of this mode, the calibration curves were linear between 2.0 and 500 ng/mL and the detection limits were between 0.30 and 0.53 ng/mL. The intraday and interday RSDs obtained at 20 ng/mL (n = 5), using a single fiber, were 5.5–9.0 and 7.5–9.8, respectively. The fiber to fiber repeatability (n = 4), expressed as the RSD, was between 12.8 and 13.2% at a 20 ng/mL concentration level. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of TCADs in plasma samples showing recoveries from 73 to 96%.     

Polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite coating as a solid‐phase microextraction fiber for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water

A highly porous fiber coated with polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite was prepared for solid‐phase microextraction (SPME). The prepared nanomaterial was immobilized onto a stainless‐steel wire for the fabrication of the SPME fiber. Polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite fibers were used for the extraction of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water samples. The extracted analytes were transferred to the injection port of a gas chromatograph using a laboratory‐designed SPME device. The results obtained prove the ability of the polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica material as a new fiber for the sampling of organic compounds from water samples. This behavior is due most probably to the increased surface area of the polythiophene/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite. A one‐at‐a‐time optimization strategy was applied for optimizing the important extraction parameters such as extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, stirring rate, and desorption temperature and time. Under the optimum conditions, the LOD of the proposed method is 0.1–3 pg/mL for analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous samples, and the calibration graphs were linear in a concentration range of 0.001–20 ng/mL (R² > 0.990) for most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The single fiber repeatability and fiber‐to‐fiber reproducibility were less than 8.6 and 19.1% (n = 5), respectively.     

Preparation and characterization of microporous fibers for sample preparation and LC‐MS determination of drugs

The aim of this study was the preparation of polypyrrole (PPy) fibers for solid phase microextraction (SPME). PPy coatings were obtained during the electrochemical polymerization process. The utility of various metal wires (Fe, Cu, Ag, Cu/Ag, kanthal and medical stainless steel) as a support for polymers was compared. Various experimental conditions of the synthesis process such as scan rate, voltage limits and number of scans and deposition time were applied. The average polymer thickness was in the range of 7–125 μm and its weight was in the scope of 0.65–5.6 mg. Different techniques, mainly elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, microscopy, and chromatography were performed for the characterization of obtained fibers with microporous structure. The extraction efficiency of cardiovascular drugs (metoprolol, propranolol, oxprenolol, propafenone and mexiletine) by means of fibers was tested. The concentration of mentioned compounds in standard solution was in the span of 10–150 ng/mL. LC‐MS was employed for determination of drugs in desorption solution. LODs varied from 0.013 to 1.51 ng/mL for metoprolol and mexiletine respectively. The repeatability of extraction was obtained with the RSD values lower than 10%.     

Preparation of a New Solid‐Phase Microextraction Fiber by Coating Silylated Nanoporous Silica on a Copper Wire

LUS‐1 typed nanoporous silica particles were synthesized and silylated with hexamethyldisilazane and investigated as a highly porous fiber coating for solid‐phase microextraction (SPME). The pore size distribution of the prepared Sil‐LUS‐1 was still typical of MCM‐41 and centered at 3 nm with a specific surface area of 720 m²g^?1. The SPME fiber was prepared by liming the material on a copper wire. The extraction efficiency of the new fiber was compared with a commercial PDMS fiber for headspace extraction and GC‐MS analysis of phenol, 4‐nitrophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol and 4‐chlorophenol in water samples. Due to the high porosity of the prepared fiber it showed a higher sensitivity and better selectivity for the extraction of the target compounds. For optimization of different factors affecting the extraction efficiency, a simplex optimization method was used. The relative standard deviation for the measurements by one fiber was better than 7% for five replicates and the fiber‐to‐fiber reproducibility was about 10% for five fabricated fibers. Detection limits in the range of 0.002 to 0.026 μg mL^?1 were obtained for the phenolic compounds. The fiber was successfully applied for the determination of phenolic compounds in natural water samples.     

Preparation of solid-phase microextraction fiber coated with single-walled carbon nanotubes by electrophoretic deposition and its application in extracting phenols from aqueous samples

A novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) Pt fiber coated with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and applied to the determination of phenols in aqueous samples by direct immersion (DI)-SPME-HPLC-UV. The results revealed that EPD was a simple and reproducible technique for the preparation of SPME fibers coated with SWCNTs without the use of adhesive. The obtained SWCNT coating did not swell in organic solvents nor strip off from substrate, and possessed high mechanical strength due to the strong Van der Waals attractions between the surfaces of the SWCNTs. The prepared SPME fiber was conductive since both SWCNT coating and Pt wire were conductive. Using Pt wire as substrate, the fiber was unbreakable. Owing to the presence of oxygenated groups on SWCNTs and the high surface area of SWCNTs, the SWCNT fiber was similar to or superior to commercial PA fiber in extracting the studied phenols from aqueous sample. A durability of more than 80 analyses was achieved for one unique fiber. Under optimized conditions, the detection limits for the phenols varied between 0.9 and 3.8 ng/mL, the precisions were in the range of 0.7–3.2% (n = 3), and linear ranges were within 10 and 300 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of spiked seawater and tap water samples with the recoveries from 87.5 to 102.0%.     

Application of ceramic/carbon composite as a novel coating for solid-phase microextraction

A ceramic/carbon composite was developed and applied as a novel coating for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The ceramic/carbon coating exhibited several good properties for SPME, such as high extraction quantities and enhanced thermal and organic solvent stability. Under scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the tightly attached coating layer on stainless steel wire revealed excellent mechanical characteristics. Single fiber and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility were less than 6.9 and 9.5%, respectively. The effects of extraction and desorption parameters such as extraction time, stirring rate, ionic strength, and desorption temperature and desorption time on the extraction/desorption efficiency were investigated and optimized. Coupled to gas chromatography with a flame thermionic detector, the optimized SPME method was applied to the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in aqueous samples. The calibration curves were linear from 0.05 to 200 ng mL(-1) for fenchlorphos, pirimiphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, ethion and from 0.2 to 200 ng mL(-1) for quinalphos, and the limits of detection were between 5.2 and 34.6 ng L(-1). The recovery of the OPPs spiked in real water samples at 5 ng mL(-1) ranged from 86.2 to 103.4% and the relative standard deviations were less than 8.5%.     

Sol-gel approach for fabrication of coated anodized titanium wire for solid-phase microextraction: highly efficient adsorbents for enrichment of trace polar analytes

Nanotubular titania film was prepared in situ on titanium wire and was used as the fiber substrate for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) because of its high surface-to-volume ratio, easy preparation, and mechanical stability. Three different functional coatings, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), β-cyclodextrin-co-poly(ethylenepropylene glycol) (β-CD/PEG), and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based sorbents were chemically bonded to the nanostructured wire surface via sol-gel technology to further enhance the absorbing capability and extraction selectivity. Coupled to gas chromatography-flame ionic detection (GC-FID), the prepared SPME fibers were investigated using diverse compounds. The results indicated that the fibers showed good mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability, and wonderful capacity and selectivity to polar compounds, including polar aromatic compounds, alcohols, and ketones. Combining the superior hydrophilic property of a bonded functional molecule and the highly porous structure of a fiber coating, the prepared PEG-coated SPME fiber showed much higher adsorption affinity to ephedrine and methylephedrine than β-CD and β-CD/PEG fibers. The as-established PEG-coated SPME-GC analytical method provided excellent sensitivity (LODs, 0.004 and 0.001 ng mL^–1 for ephedrine and methylephedrine, respectively) and better linear range (0.01–2 000 μg L^?1). In addition, it has surprising repeatability and reproducibility. Finally, the present approach was used to analyze ephedrine and methylephedrine from real urine samples, and reliable results were obtained.

Solid‐phase microextraction of methadone in urine samples by electrochemically co‐deposited sol–gel/Cu nanocomposite fiber

Electrochemically co‐deposited sol–gel/Cu nanocomposites have been introduced as a novel, simple and single‐step technique for preparation of solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) coating to extract methadone (MDN) (a synthetic opioid) in urine samples. The porous surface structure of the sol–gel/Cu nanocomposite coating was revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Direct immersion SPME followed by HPLC‐UV determination was employed. The factors influencing the SPME procedure, such as the salt content, desorption solvent type, pH and equilibration time, were optimized. The best conditions were obtained with no salt content, acetonitrile as desorption solvent type, pH 9 and 10 min equilibration time. The calibration graphs for urine samples showed good linearity. The detection limit was about 0.2 ng mL⁻¹. Also, the novel method for preparation of nanocomposite fiber was compared with previously reported techniques for MDN determination. The results show that the novel nanocomposite fiber has relatively high extraction efficiency.     

Polypyrrole/hexagonally ordered silica nanocomposite as a novel fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction

A highly porous fiber coated polypyrrole/hexagonally ordered silica (PPy/SBA15) materials were prepared for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The PPy/SBA15 nanocomposite was synthesized by an in situ polymerization technique. The resulting material was characterized by the scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. The prepared nanomaterial was immobilized onto a stainless steel wire for fabrication of the SPME fiber. The fiber was evaluated for the extraction of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aqueous sample solutions in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A one at-the-time optimization strategy was applied for optimizing the important extraction parameters such as extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, stirring rate, desorption time and desorption temperature. In optimum conditions (extraction temperature 70°C, extraction time 20 min, ionic strength 20% (WV(-1)), stirring rate 500 rpm, desorption temperature 270°C, desorption time 5 min) the repeatability for one fiber (n=3), expressed as relative standard deviation (R.S.D. %), was between 5.0% and 9.3% for the tested compounds. The quantitation limit for the studied compounds were between 13.3 and 66.6 pg mL(-1). The life span and stability of the PPy/SBA15 fiber are good, and it can be used more than 50 times at 260°C without any significant change in sorption properties. The developed method offers the advantage of being simple to use, with shorter analysis times, lower cost of equipment, thermal stability of fiber and high relative recovery in comparison to conventional methods of analysis.     

Novel metal‐ion‐mediated,complex‐imprinted solid‐phase microextraction fiber for the selective recognition of thiabendazole in citrus and soil samples

A novel metal‐ion‐mediated complex‐imprinted‐polymer‐coated solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) fiber used to specifically recognize thiabendazole (TBZ) in citrus and soil samples was developed. The complex‐imprinted polymer was introduced as a novel SPME coating using a “complex template” constructed with Cu(II) ions and TBZ. The recognition and enrichment properties of the coating in water were significantly improved based on the metal ion coordination interaction rather than relying on hydrogen bonding interactions that are commonly applied for the molecularly imprinting technique. Several parameters controlling the extraction performance of the complex‐imprinted‐polymer‐coated fiber were investigated including extraction solvent, pH value, extraction time, metal ion species, etc. Furthermore, SPME coupled with HPLC was developed for detection of TBZ, and the methods resulted in good linearity in the range of 10.0–150.0 ng/mL with a detection limit of 2.4 ng/mL. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of TBZ in spiked soil, orange, and lemon with recoveries of 80.0–86.9% and RSDs of 2.0–8.1%. This research provides an example to prepare a desirable water‐compatible and specifically selective SPME coating to extract target molecules from aqueous samples by introducing metal ions as the mediator.     

Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry studies of alkanethiol self‐assembled monolayers on nanoporous gold surfaces

The dimerization of alkanethiol mixtures (hexanethiol, octanethiol, and dodecanethiol) to form self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) from headspace on nanoporous gold surfaces was studied for the first time using gas chromatography (GC/MS) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS). The nanoporous gold surfaces were obtained by an acidic etching of a 585‐gold alloy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) was utilized to study the change of the surface geometry and porosity of the gold surfaces before and after etching. Alkanethiols were deposited from the vapor phase above the thiol solutions (headspace) on nanoporous gold plates and nanoporous gold solid‐phase vmicroextraction (SPME) fibers. The nanoporous gold substrates were analyzed by TOF‐SIMS and GC/MS, respectively. The TOF‐SIMS spectra exhibited various gold–sulfur ion clusters and specific peaks related to the adsorption of thiols such as deprotonated monomers, thiolate–Au, dimers (e.g., dialkyl sulfides–Au and dialkyl disulfides–Au). The GC/MS analysis of headspace extractions of alkanethiol mixtures by nanoporous gold SPME fibers showed a high extraction efficiency of alkanethiol, dialkyl sulfide, and dialkyl disulfide when compared with the commercial SPME fibers (DVB‐CAR‐PDMS and CAR‐PDMS). Different GC/MS optimization factors were studied including the extraction time and desorption temperature.     

Analysis of volatile oil composition of Citrus aurantium L. by microwave‐assisted extraction coupled to headspace solid‐phase microextraction with nanoporous based fibers

Nanoporous silica was prepared and functionalized with amino propyl‐triethoxysilane to be used as a highly porous fiber‐coating material for solid‐phase microextraction (SPME). The prepared nanomaterials were immobilized onto a stainless steel wire for fabrication of the SPME fiber. The proposed fiber was evaluated for the extraction of volatile component of Citrus aurantium L. leaves. A homemade microwave‐assisted extraction followed by headspace (HS) solid‐phase apparatus was used for the extraction of volatile components. For optimization of factors affecting the extraction efficiency of the volatile compounds, a simplex optimization method was used. The repeatability for one fiber (n = 4), expressed as RSD, was between 3.1 and 8.6% and the reproducibility for five prepared fibers was between 10.1 and 14.9% for the test compounds. Using microwave‐assisted distillation HS‐SPME followed by GC‐MS, 53 compounds were separated and identified in C. aurantium L., which mainly included limonene (62.0%), linalool (7.47%), trans‐β‐Ocimene (3.47%), and caryophyllene (2.05%). In comparison to a hydrodistillation method, the proposed technique could equally monitor almost all the components of the sample, in an easier way, which was rapid and required a much lower amount of sample.     

Ionic‐liquid‐mediated poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐ grafted carbon nanotube fiber prepared by the sol–gel technique for the head space solid‐phase microextraction of methyl tert‐butyl ether using GC

A headspace solid‐phase microextraction method was developed for the preconcentration and extraction of methyl tert‐butyl ether. An ionic‐liquid‐mediated multiwalled carbon nanotube–poly(dimethylsiloxane) hybrid coating, which was prepared by covalent functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with hydroxyl‐terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) using the sol–gel technique, was used as solid‐phase microextraction adsorbent. This innovative fiber exhibited a highly porous surface structure, high thermal stability (at least 320°C) and long lifespan (over 210 uses). Potential factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the method LOD (S/N = 3) was 0.007 ng/mL and the LOQ (S/N = 10) was 0.03 ng/mL. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.03–200 ng/mL. The RSDs for one fiber (repeatability, n = 5) at three different concentrations (0.05, 1, and 150 ng/mL) were 5.1, 4.2, and 4.6% and for the fibers obtained from different batches (reproducibility, n = 3) were 6.5, 5.9, and 6.3%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of methyl tert‐butyl ether in different real water samples on three consecutive days. The relative recoveries for the spiked samples with 0.05, 1, and 150 ng/mL were between 94–104%.     

Cobalt oxide nanoparticles as a novel high-efficiency fiber coating for solid phase microextraction of benzene,toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene from aqueous solutions

In this work cobalt oxide nanoparticles were introduced for preparation of a novel solid phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique was used in order for synthesis and immobilization of the Co₃O₄ nanomaterials on a Pt wire for fabrication of SPME fiber. The prepared cobalt oxide coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The fiber was evaluated for the extraction of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) in combination with GC–MS. A simplex optimization method was used to optimize the factors affecting the extraction efficiency. Under optimized conditions, the proposed fiber showed extraction efficiencies comparable to those of a commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber toward the BTEX compounds. The repeatability of the fiber and its reproducibility, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), were lower than about 11%. No significant change was observed in the extraction efficiency of the new SPME fiber after over 50 extractions. The fiber was successfully applied to the determination of BTEX compounds in real samples. The proposed nanostructure cobalt oxide fiber is a promising alternative to the commercial fibers as it is robust, inexpensive and easily prepared.     

Are metal-organic frameworks able to provide a new generation of solid-phase microextraction coatings? – A review

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a powerful technique commonly used in sample preparation for extraction/preconcentration of analytes from a wide variety of samples. Among the trends in improving SPME applications, current investigations are focused on the development of novel coatings able to improve the extraction efficiency, sensitivity, and thermal and mechanical stability, within other properties, of current commercial SPME fibers. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) merit to be highlighted as promising sorbent materials in SPME schemes. MOFs are porous hybrid materials composed by metal ions and organic linkers, presenting the highest surface areas known, with ease synthesis and high tuneability, together with adequate chemical and thermal stability. For MOF based-SPME fibers, it results important to pretreat adequately the SPME supports to ensure the correct formation of the MOF onto the fiber or the attachment MOF-support. This, in turn, will increase the final stability of the fiber while generating uniform coatings. This review provides a critical overview of the current state of the use of MOFs as SPME coatings, not only highlighting the advantages of these materials versus commercial SPME coatings in terms of stability, selectivity, and sensitivity; but also insightfully describing the current methods to obtain reproducible MOF-based SPME coatings.     

Electrodeposited polyaniline as a fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction of organochlorine pesticides from water

The study on the performance of polyaniline as a fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) purposes has been reported. Polyaniline coatings were directly electrodeposited on the surface of a stainless steel wire and applied for the extraction of some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from water samples. Analyses were performed using GC-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The results obtained show that polyaniline fiber coating is suitable for the successful extraction of organochlorine compounds. This behavior is most probably due to the porous surface structure of polyaniline film, which provides large surface areas and allowed for high extraction efficiency. Experimental parameters such as adsorption and desorption conditions were studied and optimized. The optimized method has an acceptable linearity, with a concentration range of 1-5000 ng/L. Single fiber repeatability and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility were less than 12 and 17%, respectively. High environmental resistance and lower cost are among the advantages of polyaniline fibers over commercially available SPME fibers. The developed method was applied to the analysis of real water samples from Yangtse River and Tianmu Lake.     

Polypyrrole–montmorillonite nanocomposite as sorbent for solid‐phase microextraction of phenolic compounds in water

A fiber‐coated polypyrrole–montmorillonite nanocomposite was prepared for solid‐phase microextraction. The fiber coating can be prepared easily; it is mechanically stable and exhibits relatively high thermal stability. The prepared fiber was evaluated for the extraction of some phenolic compounds from aqueous sample solutions by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The effects of the extraction and desorption parameters including extraction time, extraction temperature, stirring rate, ionic strength, pH and desorption temperature and time have been studied. At optimum conditions, the repeatability for one fiber (n = 5), expressed as % relative standard deviation was between 6.5 and 7.8% for the phenolic compounds. The detection limits for the studied phenolic compounds were between 0.05–1.3 ng/mL. The developed method offers the advantage of being simple to use, with shorter analysis time, lower cost, thermal stability of the fibers, and high relative recovery in comparison to conventional methods of analysis.     

Sol-Gel Method for the Preparation of Solid-Phase Microextraction Fibers

ABSTRACT

A novel sol-gel method is applied for the preparation of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers. Scanning electron microscopy experiments suggested a porous structure for the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating. SPME-GC analysis provided evidence that the sol-gel fibers have some advantages, such as high thermal stability, efficient extraction rates, high velocities of mass transfer, and spacious range of application.