Determination of organochlorine pesticides in water using dynamic hook-type liquid-phase microextraction

We developed a simple and efficient headspace liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) technique named dynamic hook-type liquid-phase microextraction (DHT-LPME) and used it in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and an electron capture detector (ECD). Aqueous specimens of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were used as model compounds to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique. In the present study, the calibration curves were linear over at least 2 orders of magnitude with R² values of 0.997. The method detection limits (MDLs) varied from 2 to 44.0 ng L⁻¹. The precision of DHT-LPME ranged from 6.5 to 14.4%. The relative recoveries of OCPs in rainwater were more than 84.2%. Enrichment factors (EF) in the range 275-1127 were obtained using DHT-LPME.     

Determination of organochlorine pesticides in water using solvent cooling assisted dynamic hollow-fiber-supported headspace liquid-phase microextraction

The organic solvent film formed within a hollow fiber was used as an extraction interface in the headspace liquid-phase microextraction (HS-LPME) of organochlorine pesticides. Some common organic solvents with different vapor pressures (9.33-12,918.9 Pa) were studied as extractants. The results indicated that even the solvent with the highest vapor pressure (cyclohexane) can be used to carry out the extraction successfully. However, those compounds (analytes) with low vapor pressures could not be extracted successfully. In general, the large surface area of the hollow fiber can hasten the extraction speed, but it can increase the risk of solvent loss. Lowering the temperature of the extraction solvent could not only reduce solvent loss (by lowering its vapor pressure) but also extend the feasible extraction time to improve extraction efficiency. In this work, a solvent cooling assisted dynamic hollow-fiber-supported headspace liquid-phase microextraction (SC-DHF-HS-LPME) approach was developed. By lowering the temperature of the solvent, the evaporation can be decreased, the extraction time can be lengthened, and, on the contrary, the equilibrium constant between headspace phase and extraction solvent can be increased. In dynamic LPME, the extracting solvent is held within a hollow fiber, affixed to a syringe needle and placed in the headspace of the sample container. The extracting solvent within the fiber is moved to-and-fro by using a programmable syringe pump. The movement facilitates mass transfer of analyte(s) from the sample to the solvent. Analysis of the extract was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effects of identity of extraction solvent, extraction temperature, sample agitation, extraction time, and salt concentration on extraction performance were also investigated. Good enrichments were achieved (65-211-fold) with this method. Good repeatabilities of extraction were obtained, with RSD values below 15.2%. Detection limits were 0.209 microg/l or lower.     

Application of liquid-phase microextraction to the analysis of trihalomethanes in water

A liquid-phase microextraction method for the determination of trihalomethanes (THMs) including chloroform (CHCl₃), bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl₂), dibromochloromethane (CHBr₂Cl) and bromoform (CHBr₃) in water samples was developed, with analysis by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). After the determination of the most suitable solvent and stirring rate for the extraction, several other parameters (solvent drop volume, extraction time and ionic strength of the sample) were optimized using a factorial design to obtain the most relevant variables. The optimized extraction conditions for 5 mL of sample volume in a 10 mL vial were as follows: n-hexane an organic solvent; a solvent drop volume of 2 μL; an extraction time of 5.0 min; a stirring rate of 600 rpm at 25 °C; sample ionic strength of 3 M sodium chloride. The linear range was 1-75 μg L⁻¹ for the studied THMs. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.23 μg L⁻¹ (for CHBr₂Cl) to 0.45 μg L⁻¹ (for CHCl₃). Recoveries of THMs from fortified distilled water were over 70% for a fortification level of 15 μg L⁻¹, and relative standard deviations of the recoveries were below 5%. Real samples collected from tap water and well water were successfully analyzed using the proposed method. The recovery of spiked water samples was from 73% to 78% with relative standard deviations below 7%.     

Development and application of polymer-coated hollow fiber membrane microextraction to the determination of organochlorine pesticides in water

A novel extraction procedure coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection for quantification of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water is described. Amphiphilic polyhydroxylated polyparaphenylene (PH-PPP) was synthesized and coated on the surfaces of a porous polypropylene hollow fiber membrane (HFM). Due to the high porosity of the HFM, maximum active surface area to achieve high extraction efficiency is expected. The polymer-coated HFM was used for the extraction of 15 OCPs from water. The extraction efficiency was compared with emerging and established methods such as liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) techniques. We term the current procedure as polymer-coated hollow fiber microextraction (PC-HFME). PC-HFME showed good selectivity and sensitivity. Detection limits for OCPs were in the range of 0.001-0.008 microg l(-1). The sensitivity and selectivity of the coated HFM could be adjusted by changing the characteristics of the coated PH-PPP film.     

Determination of organochlorine pesticides in water samples by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A rapid and simple dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) has been developed to preconcentrate eighteen organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from water samples prior to analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The studied variables were extraction solvent type and volume, disperser solvent type and volume, aqueous sample volume and temperature. The optimum experimental conditions of the proposed DLLME method were: a mixture of 10 μL tetrachloroethylene (extraction solvent) and 1 mL acetone (disperser solvent) exposed for 30 s to 10 mL of the aqueous sample at room temperature (20 °C). Centrifugation of cloudy solution was carried out at 2300 rpm for 3 min to allow phases separation. Finally, 2 μL of extractant was recovered and injected into the GC-MS instrument. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors ranged between 46 and 316. The calculated calibration curves gave a high-level linearity for all target analytes with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.9967 and 0.9999. The repeatability of the proposed method, expressed as relative standard deviation, varied between 5% and 15% (n = 8), and the detection limits were in the range of 1-25 ng L⁻¹. The LOD values obtained are able to detect these OCPs in aqueous matrices as required by EPA methods 525.2 and 625. Analysis of spiked real water samples revealed that the matrix had no effect on extraction for river, surface and tap waters; however, urban wastewater sample shown a little effect for five out of eighteen analytes.     

Application of static and dynamic liquid-phase microextraction in the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Two modes of liquid-phase microextraction (LPME), static and semi-automated dynamic, have been developed for the HPLC analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In static LPME, a small drop (3 microl) of organic solvent was held at the tip of a microsyringe needle and exposed to the sample containing the analytes, permitting extraction to occur. In semi-automated dynamic LPME, a syringe pump was used to automate the repetitive procedure of filling a microsyringe barrel that functioned as a microseparatory funnel, with fresh aliquots of sample, and expelling them after extraction. The factors influential to both techniques such as the type of organic solvent, extraction time, sampling volume, number of samplings, salt concentration and temperature were investigated. Static LPME provided high enrichment (60- to 180-fold) and simplicity. The analytical data exhibited a relative standard deviation range of 4.7-9.0%. Dynamic LPME provided higher (>280-fold) enrichment within nearly the same extraction time (approximately 20 min) and better precision (< or = 6.0%). Both methods allow the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at microg/l levels in water by HPLC. Water samples collected from two rivers were analyzed using the methods, respectively. The results demonstrated that both modes of LPME were fast, simple and accurate.     

Polyphosphate-doped polypyrrole coated on steel fiber for the solid-phase microextraction of organochlorine pesticides in water

A solid-phase microextraction technique using steel fiber coated with 20 μm polypyrrole (Ppy) doped with polyphosphate was developed for the GC determination of a group of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water. The coating was prepared using a three-electrode electrochemical system from a 10% aqueous sodium polyphosphate solution containing 0.05 M pyrrole by applying a constant potential of 1.2 V for 30 min. In order to obtain an adherent, smooth and stable film of polypyrrole, experimental parameters related to the coating process consisting of the type of dopant or counter-ion, deposition potential, concentration of the monomer, concentration of the counter-ion, and deposition time were optimized. The effects of various parameters on the efficiency of SPME process such as extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, desorption time, and desorption temperature were also studied. The coating was highly stable and extremely adherent to the surface of the steel fiber. The method was linear for at least three orders of magnitude with correlation coefficients varying from 0.9818 to 0.9977. The accuracies found through spiking blank samples showed high recoveries between 82 and 110%. Intra- and inter-day precisions of the method were determined from mixed aqueous solutions containing 1.0 ng ml⁻¹ of each OCP. The intra-day precisions varied from 4.7% for heptachlor to 11.4% for methoxychlor, while the inter-day precisions varied from 6.8% for endosulfan I to 13.0% for p,p′-DDD and o,p-DDD. Limits of detection based on S/N = 3 were in the range 0.015-0.66 pg ml⁻¹. The proposed method was applied to monitor organochlorine pesticides in some well water samples.     

Determination of pyrethroid,organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides in water by headspace solid-phase microextraction

Simultaneous determination of pyrethroid, organophosphate (OP) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides in water was achieved with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). The parameters affecting HS-SPME of pesticides from water were optimized, including extraction temperature, sample and headspace volumes, and sodium chloride amounts. The effects of desorption temperature, desorption time, and position of the fibre in the GC inlet were also investigated. Extraction temperature was the most important factor affecting the recoveries of analytes, and the optimized temperature was 96°C. The addition of salt did not increase extraction efficiencies of the pesticides from the water. The optimized desorption conditions in the GC were as follows: desorption time of 10?min; desorption temperature of 260°C; and a 2?cm position of the fibre in the inlet. The method detection limits were in the low-ng/L level with a linearity range of 50–1000?ng/L for the OCs, 50–5000?ng/L for the OP, and 50–20?000?ng/L for the pyrethroids. These data demonstrated that HS-SPME is a sensitive method for the determination of pyrethroid, OC, and OP pesticides in water.     

Comparison of different coatings in solid-phase microextraction for the determination of organochlorine pesticides in ground water

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) procedure using three commercialised fibers (Carbowax-divinylbenzene, Carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane and divinylbenzene-Carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane) is presented for the determination of a selected group of organochlorine compounds in water samples. The extraction performances of these compounds were compared using fibers with two and three coatings. The optimal experimental procedures for the adsorption and desorption of pesticides were determined. The limits of detection with the divinylbenzene-Carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane fiber at levels below ng l(-1) were similar or lower than values presented in the literature for several of these compounds using polydimethylsiloxane fiber. The advantages of using this fiber, such as no salt addition, are discussed. Finally, the optimised procedures were applied successfully for the determination of these compounds in polluted ground water samples.     

Troubleshooting in the trace analysis of organochlorine pesticides in water samples

Summary As a consequence of the high toxicity of organochlorine pesticides their presence in water for human consumption is limited by legislation. To determine these compounds at trace levels, an extraction procedure and a highly sensitive analytical technique is necessary. In this work we have used laminar disks for the solid-phase extraction of 21 organochlorine pesticides from water. The analytical technique selected is gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. A solid-phase extraction procedure is proposed, and some problems has been encountered. Low recovery of some pesticides has been obtained, because of their adsorption by the walls of containers. To prevent this adsorption, addition of 20% methanol before the sampling step is proposed. Adsorption of pesticides by the organic matter present in water samples was also observed. Pesticides can be adsorbed by the membrane filters usually used to remove suspended particulate matter from water samples. Different kinds of filters have been tested, and the occurrence of the problem has been confirmed. The use of laminar disks in this work has overcome this problem.     

Automated hollow fiber-protected dynamic liquid-phase microextraction of pesticides for gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis

Dynamic liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) controlled by a programmable syringe pump was evaluated for extracting pesticides in water prior to GC-MS analysis. A conventional microsyringe with a 1.3-cm length of hollow fiber attached to its needle was connected to a syringe pump to perform the extraction. The microsyringe was used as both the microextraction device as well as the sample introduction device for GC-MS analysis. The attached hollow fiber served as the "holder" and protector" of 3 microl of organic solvent. The solvent was repeatedly withdrawn into and discharged from the hollow fiber by the syringe pump. Pesticides were extracted from 4-ml water samples into the organic solvent impregnated in the hollow fiber. The effects of organic solvents, plunger movement pattern, agitation and extraction time were investigated. Good repeatabilities of extraction performance were obtained, with the RSD values ranging from 3.0% (alachlor) to 9.8% (4-chlorophenol) for the 14 pesticides; most RSD values were under 5.0%. The method provided a 490-fold preconcentration of the target pesticides. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.01-5.1 microg/l (S/N = 3) in the GC-MS selected ion monitoring mode. In addition, sample clean-up was achieved during LPME because of the selectivity of the hollow fiber, which prevented undesirable large molecules from being extracted. A slurry sample (mixture of 40 mg soil/ml of water) containing seven pesticides was extracted using this method which also gave good linearity and precision (most RSDs <7.0%, n = 3).     

Determination of organochlorine pesticides in water using microwave assisted headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography

A coupled technique, microwave-assisted headspace solid-phase microextraction (MA-HS-SPME), was investigated for one-step in situ sample pretreatment for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) prior to gas chromatographic determination. The OCPs, aldrin, o,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT, dieldrin, alpha-endosulfan, beta-endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, endrin, delta-HCH, gamma-HCH, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, methoxychlor and trifluralin were collected by the proposed method and analyzed by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). To perform the MA-HS-SPME, six types of SPME fibers were examined and compared. The parameters affecting the efficiency in MA-HS-SPME process such as sampling time and temperature, microwave irradiation power, desorption temperature and time were studied to obtain the optimal conditions. The method was developed using spiked water samples such as field water and with 0.05% humic acid in a concentration range of 0.05-2.5 microg/l except endosulfan sulfate in 0.25-2.5 microg/l. The detection was linear over the studied concentration range with r2>0.9978. The detection limits varied from 0.002 to 0.070 microg/l based on S/N=3 and the relative standard deviations for repeatability were <15%. A certified reference sample of OCPs in aqueous solution was analyzed by the proposed method and compared with the conventional liquid-liquid extraction procedure. These results are in good agreement. The results indicate that the proposed method provides a very simple, fast, and solvent-free procedure to achieve sample pretreatment prior to the trace-level screening determination of organochloride pesticides by gas chromatography.     

Mixed liquids for single-drop microextraction of organochlorine pesticides in vegetables

A new approach for the extraction of nine kinds of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from vegetable samples coupling single-drop microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was presented. Experimental parameters, such as organic solvent, exposure time, agitation and organic drop volume were controlled and optimized. An effective extraction was achieved by suspending a 1.00microL mixed drop of p-xylene and acetone (8:2, v/v) to the tip of a microsyringe immersed in a 2mL donor aqueous solution and stirred at 400rpm. The approach was applied to the determination of OCPs in vegetable samples with a linearity range of 0.05-20ng mL(-1) for alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta-hexachlorobenzene (BHC) and dicofol, 0.5-20ng mL(-1) for dieldrin and 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethane (DDD) or 0.5-50ng mL(-1) for 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE) and 2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2 (4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT). Correspondingly, the determination limit at an S/N of 3 ranged from 0.05ng mL(-1) for alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta-BHC to 0.2ng mL(-1) for dicofol, dieldrin or p,p'-DDT. The relative recoveries were from 63.3 to 100%, with repeatability ranging from 8.74 to 18.9% (relative standard deviation, R.S.D.). The single-drop microextraction was proved to be a fast and simple approach for the pre-concentration of organochlorine pesticides in vegetable samples.     

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.     

Simultaneous analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in water by headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-ITMS-MS) method has been developed and studied for the simultaneous determination of 15 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 20 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aqueous samples. To perform the HS-SPME polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) (7, 30 and 100 microm film thickness) and polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene (PDMS-DVB) fibers were initially compared on the basis of their absorption capacities for the selected compounds, and PDMS 100 microm film thickness was selected to accomplish the rests of essays. The influence of various parameters on OCPs and PCBs extraction efficiency by HS-SPME was thoroughly studied using GC-electron capture detector (ECD). Parameters such as collision induced dissociation (CID) resonant excitation amplitude and RF storage level were optimized to increase specificity and sensibility for ITMS-MS analysis. The performance of proposed HS-SPME-GC-ITMS-MS methodology with respect to linearity, reproducibility and limit of detection (LOD) was evaluated by water spiked with target compounds. The linear range of most compounds was found to be between 0.01 and 1 ng mL(-1) and the limits of detection were between 0.4 and 26 pg mL(-1). The reproducibility of the method (n = 6), expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), was between 5 and 21%. Finally, developed procedure was applied to determine selected OCPs and PCBs in river water samples in concentration below 0.1 ng mL(-1) can be easily carried out with ultra-selectivity and precision.     

Comparison of continuous-flow microextraction and static liquid-phase microextraction for the determination of p-toluidine in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

In this study, two microextraction methods, viz. continuous-flow microextraction (CFME) and static liquid-phase microextraction (s-LPME), were optimized and compared for the determination of p-toluidine in water and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii samples. The calibration curve for p-toluidine was linear in the concentration range of 0.01-5 microg/mL, and the squared regression coefficients (r(2)) for the lines were up to 0.999 for both CFME and s-LPME treatments. Detection limits in CFME and s-LPME were 8.2 ng/mL and 4.9 ng/mL, based on a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3, respectively. The precision was tested, in five replicates, by analysis of a 100-ng/mL standard solution of p-toluidine and the relative standard deviations were 5.43 and 3.08% for CFME and s-LPME, respectively. The concentration factors were 5.5 and 14.4 for CFME and s-LPME, respectively. s-LPME has a higher extraction efficiency, lower detection limit, and higher concentration factor than that of CFME. Additionally, the s-LPME method is precise and reproducible, and requires only a 3.0-microL microdrop of extraction solvent. Therefore, this procedure is more convenient in use, and viable for qualitative and quantitative analysis of p-toluidine in water and biota samples.     

Preparation of C18 composite solid-phase microextraction fiber and its application to the determination of organochlorine pesticides in water samples

In this work, a C18 composite solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was prepared with a new method and applied to the analysis of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water sample. A stainless steel wire (o.d. 127 μm) was used as the substrate, and a mixture of the C18 particle (3.5 μm) and the 184 silicone was used as the coating material. During the process of fiber preparation, a section of capillary column was used to fix the mixture onto the stainless steel wire and to ensure the constant of coating thickness. The prepared fiber showed excellent thermal stability and solvent resistance. By coupling with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), the fiber exhibited wide linearity (2–500 ng L⁻¹) and good sensitivity for the determination of six OCPs in water samples, the OCPs tested included hexachlorobezene, trans-chlordane, cis-chlordane, o,p-DDT, p,p-DDT and mirex. Not only the extraction performance of the newly prepared fiber was more than seven times higher than those of commercial fibers, the limits of detections (LODs) (0.059–0.151 ng L⁻¹) for OCPs achieved under optimized conditions were also lower than those of reported SPME methods. The fiber was successfully applied to the determination of OCPs in real water samples by using developed SPME–GC–MS method.     

Determination of organochlorine pesticides in ground water samples using solid-phase microextraction by gas chromatography-electron capture detection

A direct immersion solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-electron capture detection (SPME-GC-ECD) method was optimized and validated for the quantitative determination of 18 organochlorine pesticides in ground water. Ionic strength, stirring speed, adsorption and desorption time and pH were some of the parameters investigated in order to select the optimum conditions for SPME with a 50/30 DVB/CAR/PDMS fiber coating. The SPME-GC/ECD method showed good linear response below 10 ng L⁻¹ with R² values in the range of 0.9950–0.9997. The repeatability of the measurements were lower than 10%. Values of relative recoveries located within the acceptable range (80–120%). Limits of quantification (LOQ) from 4.5 × 10⁻³ to 1.5 ng L⁻¹ were obtained. On average 8 organochlorines were found per sample, even so all the 18 organochlorines were quantified among them. Substances such as endrin ketone, γ-BHC and β-BHC were the pesticides determined in larger concentration (0.06–305 ng L⁻¹), while methoxychlor and aldrin in smaller amounts (0.151–1.55 ng L⁻¹). Measured levels of organochlorine pesticides were above the limits established by Brazilian regulations.     

Determination of organochlorine pesticides by gas chromatography with solid-phase microextraction

Summary A study of different extraction techniques for the determination of a selected group of organochlorine compounds in surface waters is presented. Comparison of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with solid-phase extraction (SPE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with fibers of different polarity shows that SPME with a recently commercialised fiber of polydimethylsiloxane divinylbenzene allows these compounds to be determined in surface waters with good extraction efficiencies. Extraction time, effect of temperature, ionic strength and pH were optimised, allowing quantification in agricultural effluents in the range 1.0–60 ng·L⁻¹.