Biocoacervation extraction combined with dispersive solid phase extraction using a reversed-phase core–shell magnetic molecularly imprinted sorbent for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid prior to its determination by HPLC

In this study, efficient preconcentration method has been developed for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) using biosorption based on microassemblies combined with core–shell magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (mag-MIP) nanoparticles followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The method involves three steps: (1) The bioaggregates is added to the sample. The analyte is extracted into the colloidal phase formed by aggregation of the rhamnolipid. (2) Mag-MIPs are added in order to selectively extract 2,4-D from the bioaggregate. (3) The mag-MIPs are then collected from the solution by a strong magnet placed underneath the test tube, and 2,4-D is desorbed from the surface of the mag-MIP with an acetonitrile: methanol mixture. This material has a high adsorption capacity and yields high upconcentrations, which is reusable and chemically stable. Under optimum conditions, the enrichment factor was 265. The linear dynamic range and limit of detection are 0.16–40 and 0.053 µg L^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviations for six replicate measurements are 5.2 %.     

Development of molecularly imprinted-solid phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for selective extraction and preconcentration of triazine herbicides from aqueous samples

In this study, a sensitive and developed method based on the use of molecularly imprinted-solid phase extraction along with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been reported for selective extraction and pre-concentration of triazine pesticides from aqueous samples. Molecularly imprinted microspheres (template, atrazine) were synthesized using precipitation polymerization and used as sorbent in SPE procedure. A model solution containing the studied pesticides was slowly passed through the atrazine-MIP cartridge. The adsorbed analytes were eluted with methanol, mixed with carbon tetrachloride (as extraction solvent) and rapidly injected into deionized water. In this process, the analytes were extracted into fine droplets of carbon tetrachloride and the fine droplets were sedimented in bottom of the conical test tube by centrifugation. Finally, GC-FID was used for the separation and determination of analytes in the sedimented phase. Some important parameters affecting the performance of developed method were completely investigated. The linear ranges of calibration curves were wide and limits of detection and limits of quantification were between 0.2–7 and 0.5–20 ng mL^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviation obtained for six repeated experiments of atrazine (10 ng mL^?1) was 3.1 %. The relative recoveries obtained for the atrazine in the spiked samples were within in the range of 92–98 %.     

Analysis of wheat extracts for ochratoxin A by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction and pulsed elution

A molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) method has been developed for the rapid analysis of wheat extracts for ochratoxin A (OTA). Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles were synthesized from N-phenylacrylamide (PAM) and slurry-packed into a micro-column for selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) of OTA. With water flowing at 0.5 mL min^–1, a total binding capacity of 30 ng OTA was determined for the 20 mg of MIP particles. MISPE conditions were optimized using OTA in methanol/acetic acid (99:1 v/v). Nearly 100% binding could be achieved from one 20-L injection of sample containing up to 30 ng of OTA. Pulsed elution (PE) using methanol/triethylamine (99:1 v/v) was good for the quantitative desorption of OTA. The MISPE–PE method, with fluorescence detection at _ex=385 nm and _em=445 nm, afforded a detection limit of 5.0 ng mL^–1 (or 0.1 ng in 20 L of sample injected) for OTA. Recovery of OTA from wheat extracts was 103±3%. Each MISPE–PE analysis required less than 5 min to complete.     

Molecularly imprinted nano particles combined with miniaturized homogenous liquid–liquid extraction for the selective extraction of loratadine in plasma and urine samples followed by high performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array detection

In this work a molecularly imprinted polymer was developed as a selective sorbent for extraction of loratadine (as a model) in complex matrices followed by miniaturized homogeneous liquid–liquid extraction (MHLLE) for the first time. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) which is based on loratadine as the template was synthesized successfully by precipitation polymerization and was used as a selective sorbent. This technique was applied for preconcentration, sample preparation, and determination of loratadine using high performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array detection (HPLC-PDA). Optimization of various parameters affecting molecular imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE), such as pH of adsorption, composition and volume of eluent, adsorption and desorption times were investigated. Besides, in the subsequent stage (MHLLE) the type and volume of extraction solvent, sodium hydroxide amount, surfactant concentration, and extraction time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimal condition, maximum enrichment capacity and Langmuir constant were 91 mg g⁻¹ and 0.014 L mg⁻¹, respectively. Furthermore, enrichment factor and extraction recovery of MIP-MHLLE method were 30 and 90%, respectively. The LOD of the proposed method was 0.2 μg L⁻¹ and a linear dynamic range of 1–1000 μg L⁻¹ was obtained with correlation coefficient of greater than 0.998. The present method was applied for extraction and determination of loratadine in plasma and urine samples in μg L⁻¹ levels and satisfactory results were achieved (RSD <8% based on three replicate measurements).     

Mercury determination in sediments by CVAAS after on line preconcentration by solid phase extraction with a sol-gel sorbent containing CYANEX 471X®

The development of a preconcentration method for the measurement of trace levels of mercury in digested sediments is described. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used for the preconcentration of mercury coupled on-line by means of a flow injection (FI) system followed by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) detection. The SPE was carried out through a column packed with a sorbent material containing triisobutylphosphine sulfide (CYANEX 471X®) as mercury extractant and prepared by the sol-gel process. The effects of FI variables (argon, eluent, and reductant flow rates, loading and elution times) as well as the eluent concentration on the analytical performance of the method were evaluated. The proposed method was validated under the optimum conditions. The calibration graph was linear from 0.05?µg?L^?1 to 3.0 µg?L^?1 of Hg. The detection limit (DL), based on three times the standard deviation of the blank measurement criterion, was 24?ng^?L^?1. The repeatability was 1.5% and 1.8% RSD (n?=?10) at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 µg?L^?1 of Hg, respectively. Method enrichment factors of 16 with a productivity of 30 samples h^?1 or 32 with a productivity of 17 samples h^?1 were achieved under selected conditions. Certified reference materials, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVAFS), were used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method.     

HPLC determination of 18 β-glycyrrhetinic and glycyrrhizinic acids in toothpastes after solid phase extraction

Summary HPLC methods suitable for the selective and sensitive determination of 18 -Glycyrrhetinic acid (GT) and Glycyrrhizinic acid (GZ) in toothpastes have been developed. The methods involve a preliminary quantitative solid phase extraction (C-18 sorbent) for sample clean-up and analyte concentration. Chromatographic separations were performed on reversed phase (C-8; C-18) columns using mixtures of methanol and phosphate buffers (pH 3.0) as the mobile phase under isocratic or gradient elution conditions. The method were applied successfully to the analysis of commercial toothpastes containing low levels (0.013–0.065%) of GT and GZ.     

Development of counter current salting-out homogenous liquid–liquid extraction for isolation and preconcentration of some pesticides from aqueous samples

In this paper, a new version of salting-out homogenous liquid–liquid extraction based on counter current mode combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been developed for the extraction and preconcentration of some pesticides from aqueous samples and their determination by gas chromatography–flame ionization detection. In order to perform the method, aqueous solution of the analytes containing acetonitrile and 1,2-dibromoethane is transferred into a narrow bore tube which is filled partially with NaCl. During passing the solution through the tube, fine droplets of the organic phase are produced at the interface of solution and salt which go up through the tube and form a separated layer on the aqueous phase. The collected organic phase is removed and injected into de-ionized water for more enrichment of the analytes. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the method shows broad linear ranges for the target analytes. Enrichment factors and limits of detection for the selected pesticides are obtained in the ranges of 3480–3800 and 0.1–5 μg L⁻¹, respectively. Relative standard deviations are in the range of 2–7% (n = 6, C = 50 or 100 μg L⁻¹, each analyte). Finally, some aqueous samples were successfully analyzed using the developed method.     

Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for the selective determination of 17β-estradiol in fishery samples with high performance liquid chromatography

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been synthesized by a thermo-polymerization method using methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker, acetonitrile as porogenic solvent, and 17β-estradiol as template. The MIP showed obvious affinity for 17β-estradiol in acetonitrile solution, which was confirmed by absorption experiments. After optimization of molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) conditions, three structurally related estrogenic compounds (17β-estradiol, estriol, and diethylstilbestrol) were used to evaluate the selectivity of the MIP cartridges. The MIP cartridges exhibited highly selectivity for E₂, the recoveries were 84.8 ± 6.53% for MIPs and 19.1 ± 1.93% for non-imprinted polymer (NIP) cartridges. The detection and quantification limits correspond to 0.023 and 0.076 mg L⁻¹. Furthermore, the MISPE methods were used to selectively extract E₂ from fish and prawn tissue prior to HPLC analysis. This MISPE-HPLC procedure could eliminate all matrix interference simultaneously and had good recoveries (78.3-84.5%).     

Determination of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the liquid and solid phases of activated sludge by solid phase extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

The highly complex matrix of activated sludge in sewage treatment plants (STPs) makes it difficult to detect endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which are usually present at low concentration levels. To date, no literature has reported the concentrations of steroid estrogens in activated sludge in China and very limited data are available worldwide. In this work, a highly selective and sensitive analytical method was developed for simultaneous determination of two classes of EDCs, including estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), 4-nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA), in the liquid and solid phases of activated sludge. The procedures for sample preparation, extracts derivatization, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) quantification were all optimized to effectively determine target EDCs while minimizing matrix interference. The developed method showed good calibration linearity, recovery, precision, and a low limit of quantification (LOQ) for all selected EDCs in both liquid and solid phases of activated sludge. It was successfully applied to determine the concentrations of EDCs in activated sludge samples from two STPs located in Beijing and Shanghai of China, respectively.     

Determination of pesticides by solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography with nitrogen–phosphorous detection in natural water and comparison with solvent drop microextraction

The European Union specificies that drinking water can contain pesticide residues at concentrations of up to 0.1 μg/L each and 0.5 μg/L in total, and that 1–3 μg/L of pesticides can be present in surface water, but the general idea is to keep discharges, emissions and losses of priority hazardous substances close to zero for synthetic substances. Therefore, in order to monitor pesticide levels in water, analytical methods with low quantification limits are required. The method proposed here is based on solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by gas chromatography with a nitrogen–phosphorous detector (GC-NPD). During method development, six organophosphate pesticides (azinphos-ethyl, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyriphos, ethoprophos, fenamiphos and malathion) and two organonitrogen pesticides (alachlor and deltamethrin) were considered as target analytes. Elution conditions that could influence the efficiency of the SPE were studied. The optimized methodology exhibited good linearity, with determination coefficients of better than 0.996. The analytical recovery for the target analytes ranged from 70 to 100%, while the within-day precision was 4.0–11.5 %. The data also showed that the nature of the aqueous matrice (ultrapure, surface or drinking water) had no significant effect on the recovery. The quantification limits for the analytes were found to be 0.01–0.13 μg/L (except for deltamethrin, which was 1.0 μg/L). The present methodology is easy, rapid and gives better sensitivity than solvent drop microextraction for the determination of organonitrogen and organophosphate pesticides in drinking water at levels associated with the legislation.     

Determination of urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine by capillary electrophoresis with molecularly imprinted monolith in-tube solid phase microextraction

<正>Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG) is an excellent marker of oxidative DNA damage.In this study,employing guanosine as dummy template a novel molecularly imprinted(MIP) monolithic capillary column had been synthesized,and that was used as medium of in-tube solid phase microextraction(SPME).Coupled with capillary electrophoresis-electrochemical detection(CE-ECD),the system of extraction and detection of 8-OHdG in urinary sample had been developed.Because of its greater phase ratio combined with convective mass transfer and inherent selectivity,the MIP monolithic column exhibited high extraction efficiency on target analyte with the limit of detection(LOD) and quantity(LOQ) reached 2.6 nmol/L(S/N = 3) and 8.6 nmol/L(S/N= 10),respectively.The linear range was from 10 nmol/L to 1.5μmol/L(r = 0.9999) with relative standard deviation(RSD) 3.7%for peak current,and 0.5%for migration time,and the average recovery of spiked 20-200 nmol/L 8-OHdG was 85%±3.5%(n = 6).This highly sensitive method was applied to analysis of 8-OHdG in urinary samples from healthy volunteers,coking plant workers and lung cancer patients.     

Preconcentration of copper with multi-walled carbon nanotubes pretreated by potassium permanganate cartridge for solid phase extraction prior to flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A procedure for the preconcentration of copper was described in this paper using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) oxidized by potassium permanganate as the adsorbent for the enrichment of trace copper in water samples. Important parameters, such as the sample pH, the concentration and volume of eluent, sample flow rate and volume, and interference of coexisting ions, were investigated. The obtained results indicated that proposed method possessed an excellent analytical performance. The linear range, the detection limit, and precison (RSD) were 1-100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.9993), 0.32 ng/mL and 2.88%, respectively. The results showed that copper could be adsorbed quantitatively on the pretreated MWCNTs with potassium permanganate, and proposed method was very useful in the monitoring of copper in the environment.     

Extraction and preconcentration of β-blockers in human urine for analysis with high performance liquid chromatography by means of carrier-mediated liquid phase microextraction

A novel method was developed for the analysis of four β-blockers, namely sotalol, carteolol, bisoprolol, and propranolol, in human urine by coupling carrier-mediated liquid phase microextraction (CM-LPME) to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). By adding an appropriate carrier in organic phase, simultaneous extraction and enrichment of hydrophilic (sotalol, carteolol, and bisoprolol) and hydrophobic (propranolol) drugs were achieved. High enrichment factors were obtained by optimizing the compositions of the organic phase, the acceptor solution, the donor solution, the stirring rate, and the extraction time. The linear ranges were from 0.05 to 10.0 mg L⁻¹ for sotalol and carteolol, and from 0.05 to 8.0 mg L⁻¹ for bisoprolol and propranolol. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) were 0.01 mg L⁻¹ for sotalol, carteolol, and bisoprolol, and 0.005 mg L⁻¹ for propranolol. The relative standard deviations were lower than 6%. The developed method exhibited high analyte preconcentration and excellent sample clean-up effects with little solvent consumption and was found to be sensitive and suitable for simultaneous determination of the above four drugs spiked in human urine. Furthermore, the successful analysis of propranolol in real urine specimens revealed that the determination of β-blockers in human urine is feasible using the present method.     

Solid phase extraction with electrospun nanofibers for determination of retinol and α-tocopherol in plasma

A novel packed-fiber solid phase extraction procedure based on electrospun nanofibers for simultaneous determination of vitamins A (retinol) and E (α-tocopherol) in human plasma has been developed. Parameters affecting extraction efficiency were investigated in detail. The limit of detection is 0.01 μg mL^?1 for retinol, and 0.3 μg mL^?1 for α-tocopherol. The linear range is from 0.05 to 2.0 μg mL^?1 for retinol, and from 0.5 to 30 μg mL^?1 for α-tocopherol. The precision (RSD) is <6%, and the relative recovery >90%. The method was applied to analysis of retinol and α-tocopherol in human plasma with satisfactory results.     

Enhanced methods for conditioning, storage, and extraction of liquid and solid samples of manure for determination of steroid hormones by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Hormones are among the highest-impact endocrine disrupters affecting living organisms in aquatic environments. These molecules have been measured in both wastewater and sewage sludge. Analytical techniques for such matrices are well described in the literature. In contrast, there is little information about the analysis of hormones in animal waste. The objectives of this study were, first, to propose a method for conditioning swine manure samples (addition of formaldehyde, separation of the solid and liquid phases, and duration of storage) in order to determine hormones in the liquid fraction of manure by solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Our results showed that analysis of hormones was affected by matrix changes which occurred during freezing and thawing and after addition of formaldehyde, an additive frequently used to preserve environmental samples. Thus, our results argue for the conditioning of samples without formaldehyde and for separating the solid and liquid fractions of manure before freezing. Second, this study reports on the use of a liquid extraction method coupled with SPE and GC–MS analysis for determination of hormones in the solid fraction of manure. Under the conditions selected, hormone recoveries were between 80 and 100%. Finally, the optimized method was used to quantify hormones in both liquid and solid fractions of swine manure from different breeding units. High levels of estrone and α-estradiol were found in samples whereas β-estradiol was detected in smaller amounts. Estriol and progesterone were mainly found in manure from the gestating sow building whereas testosterone was detected in manure from male breeding buildings.     

Molecularly imprinted monolith in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with HPLC/UV detection for determination of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in urine

Urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been widely used as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage. Measurements of 8-OHdG in urinary samples are challenging owing to the low level of 8-OHdG and the complex matrix. In this study, a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) monolithic column was synthesized with guanosine as a dummy template which was used as the medium for in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME). In-tube SPME coupled with HPLC/UV detection for extraction and determination of urinary 8-OHdG was developed. The synthesized MIP monolithic column exhibited high extraction efficiency owing to its greater phase ratio with convective mass transfer and inherent selectivity. The enrichment factor for 8-OHdG was found to be 76 and the limits of detection and quantification of the method for urinary samples were 3.2 nmol/L (signal-to-noise ratio 3) and 11 nmol/L (signal-to-noise ratio 10), respectively. The MIP^’s selectivity also made the sample preparation procedure and chromatographic separation much easier. The linear range of the proposed method was from 0.010 to 5.30 μmol/L (r = 0.9997), with a relative standard deviation of 1.1–6.8%, and the recovery for spiked urine samples was 84 ± 3%. The newly developed method was successfully applied to determine urinary samples of healthy volunteers, coking plant workers, and cancer patients. The 8-OHdG level in cancer patients was significantly higher than that in healthy people.     

Novel molecularly imprinted polymer using 1-(α-methyl acrylate)-3-methylimidazolium bromide as functional monomer for simultaneous extraction and determination of water-soluble acid dyes in wastewater and soft drink by solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography

Novel water-compatible molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized in methanol-water systems with Tratarzine as template and 1-(α-methyl acrylate)-3-methylimidazolium bromide (1-MA-3MI-Br) as functional monomer, which has π-π hydrophobic, hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions with template molecule. 1-MA-3MI-Br molecularly imprinted polymers (1-MA-3MI-Br-MIPs) were used as selective sorbents for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of water-soluble acid dyes from wastewater and soft drink. The good linearity of the method was obtained in a range of 5.0-2000 μg/L with the correlation coefficient of > 0.999. The detection limits were in a range of 0.13-0.51 μg/L for the water-soluble acid dyes in wastewater and 0.095-0.84 μg/L for those in soft drink. The mean recoveries for the acid dyes are from 89.1% to 101.0% in spiked wastewater and 91.0-101.3% in spiked soft drink. Compared with strongly anion exchange solid phase extraction (SAX-SPE), mixture anion exchange solid phase extraction (MAX-SPE), and 1-MA-3MI-Br non-imprinted solid phase extraction (1-MA-3MI-Br-NISPE), almost all of the matrix interferences were removed by 1-MA-3MI-Br-MISPE, exhibiting higher selectivity, recovery and enrichment ability for the acid dyes and better baselines in the results of HPLC analysis.     

Development of deep eutectic solvent–based microwave-assisted extraction combined with temperature controlled ionic liquid–based liquid phase microextraction for extraction of aflatoxins from cheese samples

In this study, for the first time, a deep eutectic solvent-based microwave-assisted extraction was combined with ionic liquid–based temperature controlled liquid phase microextraction for the extraction of several aflatoxins from cheese samples. Briefly, the analytes are extracted from cheese sample (3 g) into a mixture of 1.5 mL choline chloride:ethylene glycol deep eutectic solvent and 3.5 mL deionized water by exposing to microwave irradiations for 60 s at 180 W. The liquid phase was taken and mixed with 55 μL 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate. By cooling the solution in the refrigerator centrifuge, a turbid state was obtained and the analytes were extracted into the ionic liquid droplets. The analytes were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with fluorescence detector. Low limits of detection (9–23 ng kg^–1) and quantification (30–77 ng kg^–1), high extraction recovery (66%–83%), acceptable enrichment factor (40–50), and good precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 5.2%) were obtained using the offered approach. These results reveal the high extraction capability of the method for determination of aflatoxins in the cheese samples. In this method, there was no need for organic solvents and it can be considered as green extraction method.     

Solid phase extraction vis-à-vis coprecipitation preconcentration of cadmium and lead from soils onto 5,7-dibromoquinoline-8-ol embedded benzophenone and determination by FAAS

This article compares the solid phase extraction (SPE) and coprecipitative preconcentration of cadmium and lead from dilute aqueous solutions as a function of pH and weight of chelating agent. SPE enriches cadmium and lead over a wider pH range (6.0-8.0) and requires lower weight of DBQ chelate embedded benzophenone. Among the quinoline-8-ol and its dihaloderivatives, DBQ embedded benzophenone allows quantitative enrichment over a wide pH range (6.0-8.0) for both cadmium and lead unlike DCQ (∼6.5 for Cd and 6.5-7.0 for Pb), DBQ was preferred. The calibration plots were rectilinear over the concentration range of 0.1-50 and 2.5-200 μg l⁻¹ of cadmium and lead with detection limits of 0.1 and 2.0 μg l⁻¹, respectively, which are 400 times lower than the direct FAAS method. The precision of the developed procedure is good as it provides relative standard deviation values of 2.20 and 2.45% during five replicate determinations of 2 and 25 μg l⁻¹ of cadmium and lead, respectively. The accuracy of the developed procedure was tested by analyzing certified reference materials (CRM's) of soil and marine sediment samples supplied by IAEA, Italy and NRC, Canada, respectively. Furthermore, the developed procedure has been successfully used for the speciative determination of cadmium and lead in soil samples collected from the vicinity of industries in India.