Development of a novel hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on oil‐in‐salt and its comparison with conventional one

A novel hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on oil‐in‐salt was proposed and introduced for the simultaneous extraction and enrichment of the main active compounds of hesperidin, honokiol, shikonin, magnolol, emodin, and β,β′‐dimethylacrylshikonin in a formula of Zi‐Cao‐Cheng‐Qi decoction and the single herb, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus , Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis , Radix et Rhizoma , and Lithospermum erythrorhizon , composing the formula prior to their analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The results obtained by the proposed procedure were compared with those obtained by conventional hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction, and the proposed procedure mechanism was described. In the procedure, a hollow‐fiber segment was first immersed in organic solvent to fill the solvent in the fiber lumen and wall pore, and then the fiber was again immersed into sodium chloride solution to cover a thin salt membrane on the fiber wall pore filling organic solvent. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors of the analytes were 0.6–109.4, linearities were 0.002–12 μg/mL with r ² ≥ 0.9950, detection limits were 0.6–12 ng/mL, respectively. The results showed that oil‐in‐salt hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction is a simple and effective sample pretreatment procedure and suitable for the simultaneous extraction and concentration of trace‐level active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine.     

Three‐phase hollow‐fiber microextraction combined with ion‐pair high‐performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous determination of five components of compound α‐ketoacid tablets in human urine

The determination of α‐ketoacid concentration is demanded to evaluate the absorption and metabolic behavior of compound α‐ketoacid tablets taken by chronic kidney disease patients. To eliminate the interference of endogenous substance of urine and enrich the analytes, a three‐phase hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction combined with ion‐pair high‐performance liquid chromatography method was established for the determination of d ,l ‐α‐hydroxymethionine calcium, d ,l ‐α‐ketoisoleucine calcium, α‐ketovaline calcium, α‐ketoleucine calcium, and α‐ketophenylalanine calcium of compound α‐ketoacid tablets in human urine samples. The extraction parameters, such as organic solvent, pH of donor phase and acceptor phase, stirring rate, and extraction time were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the obtained enrichment factors were up to 11‐, 110‐, 198‐, 202‐, and 50‐fold, respectively. The calibration curves for these analytes were linear over the range of 0.1–10 mg/L for α‐ketovaline calcium, d ,l ‐α‐ketoisoleucine calcium, and α‐ketoleucine calcium, 0.5–10 mg/L for d ,l ‐α‐hydroxymethionine calcium, and α‐ketophenylalanine calcium with r > 0.99. The relative standard deviations (n = 5) were less than 6.27% and the LODs were 100.7, 10.0, 5.8, 7.8, and 8.6 μg/L (based on S/N = 3), respectively. Good recoveries from spiked urine samples (92–118%) were obtained. The proposed method demonstrated excellent sample clean‐up and analytes enrichment to determine the five components in human urine.     

Determination of partition coefficient and analysis of nitrophenols by three‐phase liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with capillary electrophoresis

A three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction method coupled with CE was developed and used for the determination of partition coefficients and analysis of selected nitrophenols in water samples. The selected nitrophenols were extracted from 14 mL of aqueous solution (donor solution) with the pH adjusted to pH 3 into an organic phase (1‐octanol) immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber and finally backextracted into 40.0 μL of the acceptor phase (NaOH) at pH 12.0 located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The extractions were carried out under the following optimum conditions: donor solution, 0.05 M H₃PO₄, pH 3.0; organic solvent, 1‐octanol; acceptor solution, 40 μL of 0.1 M NaOH, pH 12.0; agitation rate, 1050 rpm; extraction time, 15 min. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curves for the analytes were linear in the range of 0.05–0.30 mg/L with r²>0.9900 and LODs were in the range of 0.01–0.04 mg/L with RSDs of 1.25–2.32%. Excellent enrichment factors of up to 398‐folds were obtained. It was found that the partition coefficient (K_a/d) values were high for 2‐nitrophenol, 3‐nitrophenol, 4‐nitrophenol, 2,4‐dinitrophenol and 2,6‐dinitrophenol and that the individual partition coefficients (K_org/d and K_a/org) promoted efficient simultaneous extraction from the donor through the organic phase and further into the acceptor phase. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of water samples.     

Comparison of three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on reverse micelle with conventional two‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction and their applications for analysis of cinnamic acids in traditional Chinese medicines

A novel three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction was developed based on reverse micelle as extraction solvent and acceptor phase, and compared with conventional two‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction. Both procedures were used in the extraction and concentration of four cinnamic acids (caffeic acid, p‐hydroxycinnamic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid) in traditional Chinese medicines prior to high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis. Parameters affecting the two procedures were investigated and optimized to obtain the optimum enrichment factors. The mechanism of the developed procedure was explored and elucidated by comparison with conventional two‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction. Under the optimized conditions, the analytes’ enrichment factors were between 50 and 118 for the proposed procedure, and 31–96 for conventional two‐phase mode. Satisfactory linear ranges (r² ≥ 0.99), detection limits (0.1–0.6 ng/mL), precisions (<9.2%), and accuracies (recoveries: 80–123.1%) were observed for the two procedures. The results showed that the enrichment capacity of the proposed procedure for the cinnamic acids is better than that of conventional two‐phase procedure, and both are eco‐friendly, simple, and effective for the enrichment and detection of cinnamic acids in traditional Chinese medicines.     

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.     

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.     

New oil‐in‐salt liquid‐phase microextraction on permutite for the extraction and concentration of alkaloids in Coptis chinensis

A novel oil‐in‐salt liquid‐phase microextraction was developed and introduced for the extraction and concentration of the trace levels of active alkaloids in Coptis chinensis prior to being analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Also, the oil‐in‐salt extraction mechanism was analyzed, the enrichment factor and extraction recovery were redefined, and the proposed method was compared with other methods. In the approach, the mixed solvent of pentanol/octanol (6:4, v/v) and NaCl (20% w/v) are immobilized on the permutite surface in turn to form oil‐in‐salt double membranes, through which the target analytes can be molecularized though salting‐out effect and be extracted by organic solvent. The main parameters affecting the approach were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the enrichment factors of the analytes were 30–117, the linear ranges were 0.002–2 μg/mL for jatrorrhizine, coptisine, and palmatine, and 0.001–3 μg/mL for berberine (r ² ≥ 0.9923). The limits of detection were less than 1 ng/mL. Satisfactory recoveries (84.3%–120.3%) and precision (0.9%–7.5%) were also obtained. These results confirm that the approach is a simple and reliable sample pretreatment procedure and allows for the quantification of active alkaloids in C. chinensis at actual concentration levels.     

Three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on a magnetofluid for the analysis of aristolochic acids in plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography

A new and fast sample preparation technique based on three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction with a magnetofluid was developed and successfully used to quantify the aristolochic acid I (AA‐I) and AA‐II in plasma after oral administration of Caulis akebiae extract. Analysis was accomplished by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Parameters that affect the hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction processes, such as the solvent type, pH of donor and acceptor phases, content of magnetofluid, salt content, stirring speed, hollow fiber length, extraction temperature, and extraction time, were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the preconcentration factors for AA‐I and AA‐II were >627. The calibration curve for two AAs was linear in the range of 0.1–10 ng/mL with the correlation coefficients >0.9997. The intraday and interday precision was <5.71% and the LODs were 11 pg/mL for AA‐I and 13 pg/mL for AA‐II (S/N = 3). The separation and determination of the two AAs in plasma after oral administration of C. akebiae extract were completed by the validated method.     

Ballpoint connector‐protected salt‐oil‐salt liquid phase microextraction for concentration and enrichment of trace anthraquinone compounds in rhubarb

This study proposed a new ballpoint connector‐protected salt‐oil‐salt liquid phase microextraction for extraction and enrichment of trace rhein and chrysophanol in rhubarb prior to determination of the analytes by high performance liquid chromatography. In this study, a handy ballpoint connector (between ballpoint tip and ink chamber) was used as extraction device, in which its cavity was filled with n‐octanol, and the bare n‐octanol in its two opening ends was covered with a thin layer of sodium chloride film. The design subtly assembled salt film onto ballpoint connector for extraction and enrichment, which greatly improved the enrichment factors of the target analytes. Moreover, the novel procedure and its extraction mechanism were described and analyzed, and several crucial parameters reflecting the extraction effect were investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, high enrichment factors (247 and 127), good linearities with r ≥ 0.9998, limits of detection (0.6–1.1 ng/mL), relative standard deviations of intra‐ and interday (2.2–8.8% and 4.3–8.9%), and average recoveries (97.6–98.1%), were obtained, respectively. The proposed method can not only eliminate the negative effects from viscosity and ion strength at high salt concentration of sample phase, but also make salting‐out effect be focused on small area so as to maximize the extraction effect.     

Determination of 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol,phoxim and chlorpyrifos‐methyl in water samples using a new pretreatment method coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography

A novel low‐density solvent‐based vortex‐assisted surfactant‐enhanced‐emulsification liquid–liquid microextraction with the solidification of floating organic droplet method coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography was developed for the determination of 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol, phoxim and chlorpyrifos‐methyl in water samples. In this method, the addition of a surfactant could enhance the speed of the mass transfer from the sample solution into the extraction solvent. The extraction solvent could be dispersed into the aqueous by the vortex process. The main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated and the optimum conditions were established as follows: 80 μL 1‐undecanol as extraction solvent, 0.2 mmol/L of Triton X‐114 selected as the surfactant, the vortex time was fixed at 60 s with the vortex agitator set at 3000 rpm, the concentration of acetic acid in sample solution was 0.4% v/v and 1.0 g addition of NaCl. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors were from 172 to 186 for the three analytes. The linear ranges were from 0.5 to 500 μg/L with a coefficient of determination (r²) of between 0.9991 and 0.9995. Limits of detections were varied between 0.05 and 0.12 μg/L. The relative standard deviations (n = 6) ranged from 0.26 to 2.62%.     

Sodium dodecyl sulfate sensitized switchable solvent liquid‐phase microextraction for the preconcentration of protoberberine alkaloids in Rhizoma coptidis

A sodium dodecyl sulfate sensitized switchable solvent liquid‐phase microextraction method was developed and applied to the preconcentration of active alkaloids in Rhizoma coptidis followed by high performance liquid chromatography determination. Before extraction, nonionic triethylamine was converted to its cationic form in the presence of carbon dioxide. Then, the ionic solvent carrying target analytes was once more reverted to its nonionic form by adding sodium hydroxide, as well as phase separation and analytes enrichment were realized simultaneously. Several parameters affecting the approach, such as concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate, extraction solvent volume, sodium hydroxide concentration, sample phase pH, injection solvent type, and extraction time, were investigated and optimized. The possible microextraction mechanism of double micelle supramolecular inclusion was explored. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors of four protoberberine alkaloids were from 101.8 to 152.0. The linear ranges (with r² ≥ 0.990) were 0.032–4.23, 0.031–4.33, 0.0026–10.04, and 0.0013–4.13 μg/mL for epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, and berberine, respectively. The detection limits were in the range of 0.16–0.32 ng/mL. Satisfactory accuracies (recoveries 98.8–104.6%) and precisions (RSDs 1.9–10.9%) were also obtained. The results showed that the approach is rapid, effective, eco‐friendly, and easy‐to‐handle for the enrichment and detection of active alkaloids in Rhizoma coptidis.     

Three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction combined with HPLC for determination of three trace acidic plant growth regulators in Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl

The analysis of plant growth regulators presents a challenge due to their trace quantities and complex matrices. A novel, simple, and effective analytical method for the determination of three trace acidic plant growth regulators in Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl was developed to address this issue. Three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography was applied for the enrichment, purification, and determination of three acidic plant growth regulators, namely, indole‐3‐acetic‐acid, indole‐3‐butyric‐acid, and (+)‐abscisic acid. The factors affecting extraction performance, including extractant species, pH of donor and acceptor phases, salt addition dosage, extraction time, temperature, and stirring rate, were investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the proposed method provided good linearity (R², 0.9994–0.9999), low limit of detection (0.038–0.12 ng/mL), and acceptable relative recoveries (56.7–117.6%). The enrichment factors were between 153 and 328. The developed method was successfully applied to the enrichment and determination of plant growth regulators in Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl and exhibited increased purification capacity, higher sensitivity, and decreased organic solvent consumption compared with conventional sample preparation methods. This method may provide a testing platform for the monitoring of plant growth regulator residues, ensuring the safe and effective use of traditional Chinese medicine.     

Bare polyprolylene hollow fiber as extractive phase for in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction to determine estrogens in water samples

Polypropylene hollow fibers as the adsorbent were directly filled into a polyetheretherketone tube for in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction. The surface properties of hollow fibers were characterized by a scanning electron microscope. Combined with high performance liquid chromatography, the extraction tube showed good extraction performance for five environmental estrogen hormones. To achieve high analytical sensitivity, four important factors containing sampling volume, sampling rate, content of organic solvent in sample, and desorption time were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, an online analysis method was established with wide linear range (0.03–20 µg/L), good correlation coefficients (≥0.9998), low limits of detection (0.01–0.05 µg/L), low limits of quantitation (0.03–0.16 µg/L), and high enrichment factors (1087–2738). Relative standard deviations (n = 3) for intraday (≤3.6%) and interday (≤5.1%) tests proved the stable extraction performance of the material. Durability and chemical stability of the extraction tube were also investigated, relative standard deviations of all analytes were less than 5.8% (n = 3), demonstrating the satisfactory stability. Finally, the method was successfully applied to detect estrogens in real samples.     

Study of enrichment factors for six β‐blockers in aliphatic alcohols by hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction

The selectivity of a suitable organic solvent is key for extraction in liquid‐phase microextraction experiments. Nevertheless, the screening process remains a daunting task. Our research aimed to study the relationship between extraction efficiency and extraction solvents, analytes, and finally select the appropriate extraction solvent. In the present article, β‐blockers and six extraction solvents were chosen as the models and hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction was conducted. The relationship was built by statistical analysis on the data. Factors affecting extraction efficiency including the logarithms of the octanol/water partition coefficient (logP_o/w) of analytes, acid dissociation constants, the logarithms of the octanol/water partition coefficient of solvents and pH of the sample solution were investigated. The results showed that a low water solubility of extraction solvent is the foundation to ensure higher extraction efficiency. Moreover, when ΔlogP_o/w > 0, a higher extraction efficiency is observed at lower ΔlogP_o/w, on the contrary, when ΔlogP_o/w < 0, extraction efficiency is higher as the absolute value of ΔlogP_o/w becomes greater. Finally, the relationship between enrichment factor and extraction solvents, analytes was established and a helpful guidance was provided for the selection of an optimal solvent to obtain the best extraction efficiency by liquid‐phase microextraction.     

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.     

Hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction combined with capillary HPLC for the selective determination of six sulfonylurea herbicides in environmental waters

A three‐phase hollow‐fiber liquid‐phase microextraction combined with a capillary LC method using diode array detection was proposed for the determination of six sulfonylurea herbicides, triasulfuron, metsulfuron‐methyl, chlorsulfuron, flazasulfuron, chlorimuron‐ethyl, and primisulfuron‐methyl, in environmental water samples. Different factors that can affect the extraction process such as extraction solvent, acidity of the donor phase, composition and pH of the acceptor phase, salt addition, stirring speed, and extraction time were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, detection and quantitation limits between 0.1 – 1.7 and 0.3 – 5.7 μg/L, respectively, and enrichment factors ranging from 71 to 548 were obtained. The calibration curves were linear within the range of 0.3 – 40 μg/L. Intra‐ and interday RSDs were <6.3 and 8.4%, respectively. The relative recoveries of the spiked ground and river water samples were in the range of 69.4 – 119.2 and 77.4 – 111.7%, respectively. The results of the study revealed that the developed methodology involves an efficient sample pretreatment allowing the preconcentration of analytes, combined with the use of a miniaturized separation technique, suitable for the accurate determination of sulfonylurea herbicides in water.     

Derivatization following hollow‐fiber microextraction with tetramethylammonium acetate as a dual‐function reagent for the determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid by GC

Derivatization at the injection port following hollow‐fiber‐based liquid–liquid–liquid microextraction with tetramethylammonium acetate as a dual‐function reagent, i.e. an acceptor and derivatization reagent, for the determination of benzoic acid (BA) and sorbic acid (SA) in real samples by GC was developed. BA and SA were extracted from aqueous samples to an organic phase impregnated into the pores of the hollow fiber wall, and then back‐extracted to the acceptor solution located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. Upon injection, the extracted analytes were quantitatively derivatized to their methyl esters with tetramethylammonium acetate in the GC injection port. Several parameters related to the derivatization and extraction efficiency were optimized. The linearity was satisfactory over a concentration range of 0.1–50 mg/L with r > 0.993 for both analytes. The LODs were 2.0 μg/L for SA and 20 μg/L for BA. The recoveries (83–116%) and precisions (RSDs of 1.2–11.4% (n = 3)) were examined by analyzing real spiked samples. The enrichment factors of BA and SA were 300 and 425. The results demonstrated that this is a simple, rapid, accurate, and sensitive method for the determination of BA and SA in various samples.     

Application of continual injection liquid‐phase microextraction method coupled with liquid chromatography to the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides

A liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with LC method has been developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (methidation, quinalphos and profenofos) in drinking water samples. In this method, a small amount (3 μL) of isooctane as the acceptor phase was introduced continually to fill‐up the channel of a 1.5 cm polypropylene hollow fiber using a microsyringe while the hollow fiber was immersed in an aqueous donor solution. A portion of the acceptor phase (ca. 0.4 μL) was first introduced into the hollow fiber and additional amounts (ca. 0.2 μL) of the acceptor phase were introduced to replenish at intervals of 3 min until set end of extraction (40 min). After extraction, the acceptor phase was withdrawn and transferred into a 2 mL vial for a drying step prior to injection into a LC system. Parameters that affect the extraction efficiency were studied including the organic solvent, length of fiber, volume of acceptor and donor phase, stirring rate, extraction time, and effect of salting out. The proposed method provided good enrichment factors of up to 189.50, with RSD ranging from 0.10 to 0.29%, analyte recoveries of over 79.80% and good linearity ranging from 10.0 to 1.25 mg/L. The LOD ranged from 2.86 to 82.66 μg/L. This method was applied successfully to the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in selected drinking water samples.     

Simultaneous speciation of inorganic chromium(III) and chromium(VI) by hollow‐fiber‐based liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with HPLC–UV

The speciation of chromium(VI) and chromium(III) was investigated by using hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction based on two immiscible organic solvents followed by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. In this method, chromium(VI) and chromium(III) reacted with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate to produce hydrophobic complexes. Subsequently, the complexes were first extracted into a thin layer of organic solvent (n‐dodecane) present in the pores of a porous hollow fiber, and then into a μL volume of an organic acceptor (methanol) located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. Then, the extracting organic phase was injected into the separation column of the high‐performance liquid chromatograph for the analysis of both chromium species. Effective parameters on extraction were optimized using one‐variable‐at‐a‐time method and central composite design. Under optimized conditions, a linear range of 0.25–100 and 0.5–100 μg/L (R ² > 0.998), the limits of detection of (S/N = 3) 0.08 and 0.1 μg/L and a preconcentration factor of 625 and 556 were achieved for chromium(VI) and chromium(III), respectively. The method was successfully applied to the speciation and determination of chromium species in different water samples and satisfactory results were obtained.     

Development of a novel stirrerliquid/solid microextraction method for the separation and enrichment of trace levels of active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine

A novel stirrer‐liquid/solid microextraction method was developed for the separation and enrichment of trace levels of curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin in Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, Radix Curcumae, and Rhizoma Curcumae before their analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. In the proposed approach, a magnetic stirrer was immersed in decanol to coat its surface completely with decanol, which was used as an extraction platform. The stirrer coated with decanol is not only a power to agitate the sample solution to constantly update the sample on the stirrer surface but also it can adsorb and extract the target analytes. Some effective parameters, including suitable superficial area of stirrer, extraction solvent, sample phase pH, NaCl concentration, stirring rate, extraction time, sample phase volume, were analyzed and selected. Under the optimal conditions, the linearities are 0.0044–2.20 μg/mL, detection limits are 0.3–0.6 ng/mL, and the extraction content per unit length and enrichment factors of the target analytes are 6.24–9.71/mm and 589–917, respectively. Also, the stirrer‐liquid/solid microextraction mechanism for the extraction and enrichment of the target analytes was analyzed and expounded. The results showed that stirrer‐liquid/solid microextraction is a simple, rapid sample pretreatment approach with a high enrichment factor.