Separation and preconcentration of persistent organic pollutants by cloud point extraction

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are recognized as a class of poisonous compounds which pose risks of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. Thus, it is very important to detect POPs in environmental and biological samples. The identification and determination of very low levels of POPs in complex matrices is extremely difficult. Recently a promising environmentally benign extraction and preconcentration methodology based on cloud point extraction (CPE) has emerged as an efficient sample pretreatment technique for the determination of trace/ultra-trace POPs in complex matrices. The purpose of this paper is to review the past and latest use of CPE for preconcentrating POPs and its coupling to different contemporary instrumental methods of analysis. First, the comparison of various extraction techniques for POPs is described. Next, the general concept, influence factors and other methods associated with CPE technique are outlined and described. Last, the hyphenations of CPE to various instrumental methods for their determination are summarized and discussed.     

Detection of radionuclides in aqueous samples using cloud point extraction

A cloud point extraction method followed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed for the detection of trivalent lanthanides (Ln(III)) in aqueous samples. Ammonium pyrrolodinedithiocarbamate (APDC) was used as the chelating ligand with 2 wt% Triton X-114 as the surfactant. Various experimental parameters were investigated and the extraction efficiency, distribution ratios and concentration factors for the extraction of lanthanum (La), neodymium (Nd), europium (Eu) and thulium (Tm) were determined.     

Determination of estrogens in water by HPLC-UV using cloud point extraction

A method based on cloud point extraction was developed to determine four kinds of estrogens: estriol (E3), estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and progesterone (P) in water by high performance liquid chromatography separation and ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). The non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 was chosen as extractant solvent. The parameters affecting extraction efficiency, such as concentrations of Triton X-114 and Na₂SO₄, equilibration temperature, equilibration time and centrifugation time were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, preconcentration factors of 99 for E3, 73 for E2, 152 for E1 and 86 for P were obtained for 10 mL water sample. The detection of limitation was 0.23 ng mL⁻¹ for E3, 0.32 ng mL⁻¹ for E2, 0.25 ng mL⁻¹ for E1 and 5.0 ng mL⁻¹ for P. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amount of estrogens in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent water and exposure water with 10 ng mL⁻¹ E2 for toxicological study in our lab. For the case of WWTP effluent water samples, no estrogen was found. The accuracy of the proposed method was tested by recovery measurements of spiked samples and good recoveries of 81.2-99.5% were obtained.     

Screening of urinary coproporphyrin using cloud point extraction and chemiluminescence detection

A simple screening test was developed for the sensitive and selective measurement of urinary coproporphyrin. In this screening test, efficient and selective extraction/pre-concentration of coproporphyrin from the aqueous medium(urine) into a much smaller volume phase containing a common non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-100) and ethyl acetate was accomplished by the addition of a relatively large amount of a cloud point depressing electrolyte (K(3)PO(4)) into the sample solution to effect cloud point separation. Sensitive and selective detection of coproporphyrin in the mixed Triton X-100 and ethyl acetate phase was performed via chemical excitation using the peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence reaction. The effects of surfactant and cations (from the cloud point depressing electrolyte) on the chemiluminescence intensity of coproporphyrin were briefly investigated. Furthermore, the spectrum of urinary coproporphyrin obtained using the present chemiluminescence method was briefly compared with that obtained from fluorescence method.     

Environmental monitoring of phenolic pollutants in water by cloud point extraction prior to micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Many aromatic compounds can be found in the environment as a result of anthropogenic activities and some of them are highly toxic. The need to determine low concentrations of pollutants requires analytical methods with high sensitivity, selectivity, and resolution for application to soil, sediment, water, and other environmental samples. Complex sample preparation involving analyte isolation and enrichment is generally necessary before the final analysis. The present paper outlines a novel, simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method for the simultaneous determination of p-nitrophenol (PNP), p-aminophenol (PAP), and hydroquinone (HQ) by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography after preconcentration by cloud point extraction. Enrichment factors of 180 to 200 were achieved. The limits of detection of the analytes for the preconcentration of 50-ml sample volume were 0.10 μg L⁻¹ for PNP, 0.20 μg L⁻¹ for PAP, and 0.16 μg L⁻¹ for HQ. The optimized procedure was applied to the determination of phenolic pollutants in natural waters from San Luis, Argentina. Figure Schematic representation of the cloud point extraction process.     

Simultaneous extraction of several persistent organic pollutants in sediment using focused ultrasonic solid-liquid extraction

Focused ultrasonic solid-liquid extraction (FUSLE) has been optimised for simultaneous analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalate esters (PEs), and nonylphenols (NPs) in sediment samples. Optimisation was performed using naturally polluted freeze-dried sediment samples. The variables studied during the optimisation process were: percentage of maximum power (10-60%), extraction time (10-300 s), number of cycles (1-9), composition of the extraction solvent (acetone-n-hexane, 10:90-90:10), and sample mass (0.1-1 g). The volume of the extractant was constant (10 mL) and the extraction was performed at 0 degrees C in an ice-bath during the optimisation process. All these variables were studied using an experimental design approach by means of The Unscrambler software. The extraction time and the operational variables (number of cycles and power) had no statistically significant effect in the extraction and they were held at 2 min, 20% power, and seven cycles, respectively. The mass and the addition of non-polar solvent (n-hexane) had a negative effect in the extraction yield and, thus, the mass was held at 0.5 g and pure acetone was used as extraction solvent. After those variables were optimised, the effect of the extraction temperature (0 degrees C or room temperature) was also studied. The validation of the extraction method was performed using NIST-1944 reference material in the case of PAHs and PCBs. Because no certified reference sediment is available for PEs and NPs, the results obtained for FUSLE were compared with those obtained for microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) under conditions optimised elsewhere. In all the cases the analysis were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Good accuracy were achieved in all cases. The limits of detection (LODs) obtained were between 0.10 and 1.70 ng g(-1) for PAHs (except for naphthalene 5.33 ng g(-1)), 0.02 and 0.16 ng g(-1) for PCBs, 46 and 188 ng g(-1) for PEs, and 0.6 and 12.4 microg g(-1) for NPs. The precision was around 5-10% for most of the PAHs and PCBs and around 2-10% for most of the PEs and NPs.     

Preconcentration neutron activation analysis of lanthanides by cloud point extraction using PAN

Summary Methods for the simultaneous preconcentration of lanthanides by cloud point extraction and their determination using neutron activation analysis have been developed. The preconcentration method involves the use of a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent. A fairly small volume of surfactant-rich phase was obtained under optimized experimental conditions, leading to detection limits between 0.3 and 3.0 ng ^. g^-1. Critical parameters that influence extraction efficiency were solution pH and concentration of chelating agent, and to a lesser extent, ionic strength and temperature. Most of the chelates were quantitatively extracted (>90%) at high pH values. Selective separation can be achieved by varying some of the experimental conditions.     

Evaluation of the factors affecting extraction of organic compounds based on the acid-induced phase cloud point approach

On the basis of a better analytical exploitation of acid-induced cloud point approach, a systematic study on the phase behaviour of acid aqueous solutions of anionic surfactants and factors affecting anionic surfactant-mediated extractions was performed. The anionic surfactants investigated were alkylsulphonates (ASS) with alkylchain lengths comprised between 8 and 16 carbon atoms. The critical hydrochloric acid concentration (minimal acid concentration required to separation in two liquid phases) was found to increase as alkylchain length of the anionic surfactant increased from 10 to 14. Non-acid-induced liquid-liquid phase separation was observed for sodium octanesulphonate (SOS) or sodium hexadecyl sulphonate (SHS) in the hydrochloric concentration range 0-10 M. Acid aqueous solutions of sodium decylsulphonate (SDeS) and sodium dodecylsulphonate (SDoS) separated into two liquid phases at temperatures ranging between 10 and 80 °C, while temperatures >35 °C were required for sodium tetradecylsulphonate. The influence on extraction efficiency and concentrating ability of experimental variables such as hydrophobicity and concentration of surfactant, nature and concentration of analyte, hydrochloric acid concentration, time and temperature of extraction and time of equilibration and centrifugation was examined. Advantages provided by anionic surfactant-mediated extractions over the use of non-ionic surfactants (cloud point extractions) are discussed.     

Surfactant cloud point extraction and preconcentration of organic compounds prior to chromatography and capillary electrophoresis

The use of preconcentration steps based on phase separation by the cloud point technique offers a convenient alternative to more conventional extraction systems. It has been used successfully for the preconcentration of species of widely differing character and nature, such as metal ions, proteins and other biomaterials, or organic compounds of strongly differing polarity. Here we address the most recent analytical applications of this methodology when used as an isolation and trace enrichment step prior to the analysis of organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated compounds, pesticides, phenolic derivatives, aromatic amines, vitamins, etc.) via liquid and gas chromatography or capillary electrophoresis.     

Decontamination of oil-polluted soil by cloud point extraction

An extraction procedure based on cloud point phase separation of nonionic surfactants was used to remove oil contamination from soils. The detergent employed was Triton X-114, and its clouding behavior was monitored by means of a fluorescence probe. Changes in the I (1)I (3) ratio of pyrene indicated gradual dehydration of the detergent micelles upon heating. The rate of phase separation, and the volume and water content of the micellar phase were determined. In the practical clean-up, 85-98% of the oil present in the soil was found to enter the micellar phase of the separated washing liquid. A 15-min washing time with 3-5% detergent was found to be sufficient for this degree of contaminant removal from soil containing 0.009-0.017% oil, using a liquid:solid ratio of 5:2. The extraction efficiency decreased with increasing carbon content of the soil. The process holds promise for large-scale treatment of oil-polluted soils.     

An improved approach for flow-based cloud point extraction

Novel strategies are proposed to circumvent the main drawbacks of flow-based cloud point extraction (CPE). The surfactant-rich phase (SRP) was directly retained into the optical path of the spectrophotometric cell, thus avoiding its dilution previously to the measurement and yielding higher sensitivity. Solenoid micro-pumps were exploited to improve mixing by the pulsed flow and also to modulate the flow-rate for retention and removal of the SRP, thus avoiding the elution step, often carried out with organic solvents. The heat released and the increase of the salt concentration provided by an on-line neutralization reaction were exploited to induce the cloud point without an external heating device. These innovations were demonstrated by the spectrophotometric determination of iron, yielding a linear response from 10 to 200 μg L⁻¹ with a coefficient of variation of 2.3% (n = 7). Detection limit and sampling rate were estimated at 5 μg L⁻¹ (95% confidence level) and 26 samples per hour, respectively. The enrichment factor was 8.9 and the procedure consumed only 6 μg of TAN and 390 μg of Triton X-114 per determination. At the 95% confidence level, the results obtained for freshwater samples agreed with the reference procedure and those obtained for digests of bovine muscle, rice flour, brown bread and tort lobster agreed with the certified reference values. The proposed procedure thus shows advantages in relation to previously proposed approaches for flow-based CPE, being a fast and environmental friendly alternative for on-line separation and pre-concentration.     

Micelle-mediated cloud point extraction and spectrophotometric determination of rhodamine B using Triton X-100

A new micelle-mediated cloud point extraction method is described for sensitive and selective determination of trace amounts of rhodamine B by spectrophotometry. The method is based on the cloud point extraction of rhodamine B from aqueous solution using Triton X-100 in acidic media. The extracted surfactant rich phase is diluted with water and its absorbance is measured at 563 nm by a spectophotometer. The effects of different operating parameters such as concentration of surfactant and salt, temperature and pH on the cloud point extraction of rhodamine B were studied in details and a set of optimum conditions were obtained. Under optimum conditions a linear calibration graph in the range of 5-550 ng mL⁻¹ of rhodamine B in the initial solution with r = 0.9991 (n = 15) was obtained. Detection limit based on three times the standard deviation of the blank (3S_b) was 1.3 ng mL⁻¹ (n = 10) and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for 50 and 350 ng mL⁻¹ of rhodamine B was 2.40 and 0.87% (n = 10), respectively. The method was applied for the determination of rhodamine B in soft pastel, hand washing liquid soap, matches tip and textile dyes mixture samples.     

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of uranium and zirconium using cloud point extraction and multivariate methods

A cloud point extraction (CPE) process using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-114 to simultaneous extraction and spectrophotometric determination of uranium and zirconium from aqueous solution using partial least squares (PLS) regression is investigated. The method is based on the complexation reaction of these cations with Alizarin Red S (ARS) and subsequent micelle-mediated extraction of products. The chemical parameters affecting the separation phase and detection process were studied and optimized. Under the optimum experimental conditions (i.e. pH 5.2, Triton X-114?=?0.20%, equilibrium time 10?min and cloud point 45?°C), calibration graphs were linear in the range of 0.01?C3?mg?L^?1 with detection limits of 2.0 and 0.80???g L^?1 for U and Zr, respectively. The experimental calibration set was composed of 16 sample solutions using an orthogonal design for two component mixtures. The root mean square error of predictions (RMSEPs) for U and Zr were 0.0907 and 0.1117, respectively. The interference effect of some anions and cations was also tested. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of U and Zr in water samples.     

Development of cloud point extraction using pH-sensitive hydrogel for preconcentration and determination of malachite green

A novel and sensitive cloud point extraction procedure using pH-sensitive hydrogel was developed for preconcentration and spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of malachite green (MG). In this extraction method, appropriate amounts of poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid), as a pH-sensitive hydrogel, and HCl were added respectively into the aqueous sample so a cloudy solution was formed. The cloudy phase consists of hydrogel particles distributed entirely into the aqueous phase. Organic or inorganic compounds having the potential to interact with polymer particles (chemical interaction or physical adsorption) could be extracted to cloudy phase. After centrifuging, these particles of hydrogel were sedimented in the bottom of sample tube. The sedimented hydrogel-rich phase was diluted with acetonitrile and its absorbance was measured at 617 nm (λ_max of malachite green in hydrogel). Central composite design and response surface method were applied to design the experiments and optimize the experimental parameters such as, concentration of hydrogel and HCl, extraction time and salting out effect. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range was 1 × 10⁻⁸-5 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ malachite green with a correlation coefficient of 0.992. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) was 4.1 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹. Relative standard deviation (RSD) for 7 replicate determinations of 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ malachite green was 3.03%. In this work, the concentration factor of 20 was reached. Also the improvement factor of the proposed method was 23. The advantages of this method are simplicity of operation, rapidity and low cost.     

A novel fiber optic spectrophotometric determination of nitrite using Safranin O and cloud point extraction

A novel fiber optic spectrophotometric method for nitrite determination in different samples is suggested, based on the reaction of nitrite with Safranin O in acidic medium to form a diazo-safranin, which is subsequently coupled with pyrogallol in alkaline medium to form a highly stable, red azo dye, followed by cloud point extraction (CPE) using a mixed micelle of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-114, with an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The reaction and extraction conditions (e.g., acidity for diazotization and alkalinity for pyrogallol coupling, and other reagent concentrations, time, and tolerance to other ions) were optimized. Linearity was obeyed in a concentration range up to 230 μg L⁻¹, and the detection limit of the method is 0.5 μg L⁻¹ of nitrite ion. The molar absorptivity for nitrite of the Safranin-diazonium salt (?_610 nm = 4 × 10³ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) existing in literature was greatly enhanced by pyrogallol coupling and CPE enrichment (?_592 nm = 1.39 × 10⁵ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹). The method was applied to the determination of nitrite in tap water, lake water and milk samples with an optimal preconcentration factor of 20.     

Sensitive quantification of uranium using cloud point extraction coupled with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

This article reports the utilization of cloud point extraction as a preconcentration strategy prior to U(VI) determination by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Complexes of U(VI) with Cyanex-301 were preconcentrated into mixed-micellar medium using Triton X-100 and Cetylpyridinium bromide at ambient temperature. Optimal values of parameters impacting the extraction efficiency were determined. The proposed technique has linearity range of 5–200 ng mL^?1 with r = 0.99 and detection and quantification limits of 0.57 and 0.85 ng mL^?1, respectively. The method has good selectivity for U(VI) over various cations and was successfully applied to U(VI) determination in water samples with satisfactory results.     

Liquid-liquid extraction and cloud point extraction for spectrophotometric determination of vanadium using 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol

Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and cloud point extraction (CPE) of vanadium(V) ternary complexes with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and 2,3,5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolum chloride (TTC) were investigated. The optimal conditions for vanadium extraction and spectrophotometric determination were identified. The composition (V: PAR: TTC) of the extracted species was 1:2:3 (optimal conditions; LLE), 2:2:2 (low reagents concentrations; LLE), 1:1:1 (short heating time;CPE), and 1: 1: 1 + 1: 1: 0 (optimal extraction conditions; CPE). LLE, performed in the presence of 1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid and NH₄F as masking agents, afforded the sensitive, selective, precise, and inexpensive spectrophotometric determination of vanadium. The absorption maximum, molar absorptivity, limit of detection, and linear working range were 559 nm, 1.95 × 10⁵ dm³ mol^?1 cm^?1,0.7 ng cm^?3, and 2.2–510 ng cm^?3, respectively. The procedure thus developed was applied to the analysis of drinking waters and steels. The relative standard deviations for V(V) determination were below 9.4 % (4–6 × 10^?7 mass %; water samples) and 2.12 % (1–3 mass %; steel samples).     

Use of cloud point extraction with derivatizing reagent for the extraction and determination of isoniazid

A simple and sensitive cloud point extraction high-performance liquid chromatography method is proposed for the determination of isoniazid in blood. The procedure is based on the product of the reaction of isoniazid with benzaldehyde. It can be validated that there is a linear relationship between the signal of isonicotinyl hydrazone and the concentration of isoniazid. A cloud point extraction system of nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 is applied for preconcentration of isonicotinyl hydrazone. Then the analytes in surfactant-rich phase are detected with HPLC-UV system. calibration graph was obtained in the range of 2.0 × 10(-3)-0.5 mg/L, the detection limit was 5.0 × 10(-4) mg/L. Method validation is performed on serum samples spiked at two levels, the recoveries ranging from 82.17-83.81%, with relative standard deviations from 2.45% to 3.89%.