Determination of free and ethoxylated alkylphenols in leather with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An analytical approach was developed to determine nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO(n)) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEO(n)) in leather samples involving the conversion of NPEO(n) and OPEO(n) into the corresponding NP and OP. The four targets were extracted from samples using ultrasonic-assisted acetonitrile extraction. NP and OP in the extracts were directly isolated with hexane and quantitatively determined with 4-n-nonylphenol as internal standard by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For NPEO(n) and OPEO(n) in the extracts, they were first converted into NP and OP with aluminum triiodide as cleavage agent, and the yielded NP and OP were determined by GC-MS. The contents of NPEO(n) and OPEO(n) were calculated by normalizing to NPEO(9) and OPEO(9), respectively. This method was properly validated and the real sample tests revealed the pollution significance of leather by NPEO(n) and OPEO(n).     

Molecularly imprinted polymer for selective extraction of endocrine disrupters nonylphenol and its ethoxylated derivates from environmental solids

Nonylphenol isomers (NP), linear nonylphenol (4-n-NP) and NP short chain ethoxylated derivates (NPEO1 and NPEO2) are degradation products of nonylphenol polyethoxylates, a worldwide used group of surfactants. All of them are considered endocrine disrupters due to their ability to mimic natural estrogens. In this paper, the preparation and evaluation of several 4-n-NP molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the selective extraction and clean-up of 4-n-NP, NP, NPEO1 and NPEO2 from complex environmental solid samples is described. Among the different combinations tested, a methacrylic acid-based imprinted polymer prepared in toluene provided the better performance for molecularly imprinted SPE (MISPE). Under optimum MISPE conditions, the polymer was able to selectively retain not only linear NP but also the endocrine disruptors NPEO1, NPEO2 and NP with recoveries ranging from 60 to 100%, depending upon the analyte. The developed MISPE procedure was successfully used for the determination of 4-n-NP, NP, NPEO1 and NPEO2 in sediments and sludge samples at concentration levels according to data reported in the literature for incurred samples. Finally, various sludge samples collected at five different sewage treatment plants from Madrid and commercial sludge for agriculture purposes were analysed. The measured concentrations of the different compounds varied from 3.7 to 107.5 mg/kg depending upon the analyte and the sample.     

Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of alkylphenols in soil

A novel method has been developed for the determination of alkylphenols in soil by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography employing small particle sizes, combined with tandem mass spectrometry. Soil samples were extracted with pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and then cleaned with solid-phase extraction (SPE). The extracts were separated on C18 column (1.7 μm, 50 mm × 2.1 mm) with a gradient elution and a mobile phase consisting of water and acetonitrile, and then detected by an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in negative ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Compared with traditional liquid chromatography, it took ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography much less time to analyze alkylphenols. Additionally, the ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method produces satisfactory reliability, sensitivity, and accuracy. The average recoveries of the three target analytes were 74.0–103.4%, with the RSD < 15%. The calibration curves for alkylphenols were linear within the range of 0.01–0.4 μg/ml, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. When 10 g soil sample was used for analysis, the limits of quantification (LOQs) of the three alkylphenols were all 1.0 μg/kg.     

Rapid characterization of fatty alcohol ethoxylates by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis

Fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAE) (a mixture of nonionic surfactants) have been characterized using NACE with UV detection. Phenyl polyurethane derivatives of these compounds were previously obtained by reaction with phenyl isocyanate. The derivatization reaction only requires microwave irradiation for 30 s (600 W). Phenyl polyurethanes were separated and characterized using a BGE containing a mixture of ammonium nitrate (15 mM), acetic acid (1.5%) and 9:1 v/v methanol/ACN. After optimization of the instrumental conditions for the separation, phenyl polyurethane compounds (formed from the corresponding FAE) with ethylene oxide numbers (EON) of 6 (certified standard and industrial samples), 7 and 10 (both as industrial samples), and 5.5 (microemulsion phase) were successfully separated and characterized. The properties of these FAE nonionic surfactants are very important in the petroleum industry, which requires characterization of the quality of the purchased materials as well as the final products in the microemulsion-oil-water stream process. This analytical objective has been achieved by the proposed NACE methods, allowing FAE to be distinguished from 5.5 to 10 EON with errors below 4%, and shows advantages against to HPLC methods.     

Optimisation of microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of nonylphenols and phthalate esters in sediment samples and comparison with pressurised solvent extraction

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of nonylphenols (NP), nonylphenol mono- and diethoxylates (NP1EO and NP2EO, respectively) and phthalate esters was optimised using an experimental design approach. A D-optimal mixture design was used to optimise the pressure inside the extraction vessel (110-207 kPa), the extraction time (5-25 min) and the extraction solvent (methanol, acetone or n-hexane) or the solvent mixture for the microwave-assisted extraction. Percentage of microwave power (80%) and solvent volume (15 ml) were fixed in all the experiments. As a consequence, the optimum extraction of these compounds was carried out at an intermediate pressure (159 kPa) with pure methanol and during 15 min. Moreover, solid phase extraction was also optimised for the clean-up of the extracts and C-18, LiChrolut^® and Oasis^® cartridges were studied in order to obtain the best recoveries of the compounds of interest. The highest recoveries were obtained with LiChrolut^® cartridges after the elution with ethyl acetate. The cleaned extracts were analysed in a gas chromatograph with mass spectrometric detection and in a liquid chromatograph with diode array and fluorescence detection (HPLC-DAD-UV-FLD). The same sediment was also extracted twice in order to check that an exhaustive extraction of the analytes had occurred. Finally, the optimised extraction method was compared with pressurised solvent extraction (PSE), using an estuarine sediment sample.     

内墙涂料中烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚的高效液相色谱-质谱测定

建立了高效液相色谱-质谱法(HPLC-MS)测定内墙涂料中烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚(辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚和壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚)含量的方法。样品经甲醇超声提取,采用Agilent Eclipse Plus C18柱(4.6 mm×100 mm,3.5μm),以5 mmol/L乙酸铵溶液-甲醇作为流动相进行梯度洗脱分离,柱温35℃,流速0.3 m L·min-1,进样量5μL。质谱采用选择离子(SIM)方式进行检测,电喷雾离子源(ESI),正离子模式,基质匹配标准溶液定量,以A和B两种内墙涂料为代表进行加标回收实验。结果表明,辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚(OPEO)和壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚(NPEO)在0.1~5.0 mg/L浓度范围内线性关系良好(r0.99),回收率为83.8%~114.5%,相对标准偏差为1.3%~9.8%,定量下限为4.0~5.5 mg/kg。该方法操作简便、耗时短、有机试剂用量少、灵敏度高、稳定性好,应用于日常检测可大大降低检测成本,缩短检测周期,具有实际应用价值。     

Estimation of polyoxyethylene chain distribution of alcohol and alkylphenol ethoxylates

Summary Oxyethylated nonylphenol and alcohols were analyzed by HPLC on normal phases with mixtures of hexane, 2-propanol and water as mobile phases, using UV and evaporative light scattering (ELS) detectors. Effects of selected analytical conditions (type of detector, drift tube temperature and gradient) on determined distributions are discussed. The distributions of oxyethylated alcohols obtained in the presence of NaOH and calciumbased W7^TM catalyst and polyoxyethylene glycols present in products were compared. The distribution of oxyethylated alcohols and alkylphenols were fitted for normal distribution characterized by the mean and the standard deviation. It was found that the analytical results fitted the normal distribution quite well. The estimated mean agrees with the average degree of oxyethylation and the standard deviation can be used as a measure of the distribution broadness.     

高效液相色谱质谱法分析脂肪醇聚氧乙烯醚中的碳数及环氧乙烷加成数的分布

应用高效液相色谱法将脂肪醇聚氧乙烯醚按碳数和环氧乙烷加成数 (EO数 )分离后 ,在线联用电喷雾离子化质谱 (ESI MS) ,根据其一系列准分子离子峰判断烷基链长和环氧乙烷聚合度。解释了准分子离子峰强度失真的原因。     

凝胶过滤色谱-串联质谱法测定纺织品中的烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚

建立了纺织品中烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚的凝胶过滤色谱-串联质谱(GFC-MS/MS)分析方法。纺织品样品采用加速溶剂萃取法,以无水乙醇为提取溶剂进行提取,提取液经Sep-Pak Carbon/NH2石墨化碳黑/氨基复合型固相萃取柱净化。烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚经Shodex MSpak GF-310 2D色谱柱(150×2.0 mm)分离后,在多反应监测(MRM)模式下进行串联质谱定性及定量分析。方法对壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚(NPnEO)和辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚(OPnEO)的定量限均为0.2 mg/kg,在0.2～5 mg/kg的3个添加水平范围内,NPnEO的平均回收率为84.2%～93.5%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为3.9%～7.5%;OPnEO的平均回收率为85.5%～96.1%,RSD为3.4%～8.1%。该方法能够满足纺织品中烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚的检测要求。     

Vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction of octylphenol, nonylphenol and bisphenol-A

A new and fast equilibrium-based solvent microextraction technique termed vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) has been developed and used for the trace analysis of octylphenol, nonylphenol and bisphenol-A in water and wastewater samples. According to VALLME, dispersion of microvolumes of a low density extractant organic solvent into the aqueous sample is achieved by using for the first time vortex mixing, a mild emulsification procedure. The fine droplets formed could extract target analytes towards equilibrium faster because of the shorter diffusion distance and larger specific surface area. Upon centrifugation the floating extractant acceptor phase restored its initial single microdrop shape and was used for high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Different experimental parameters were controlled and the optimum conditions found were: 50 μl of octanol as the extractant phase; 20 ml aqueous donor samples; a 2 min vortex extraction time with the vortex agitator set at a 2500 rpm rotational speed; centrifugation for 2 min at 3500 rpm; no ionic strength or pH adjustment. The calculated calibration curves gave high levels of linearity yielding correlation coefficients (r²) greater than 0.9935. The repeatability and reproducibility of the proposed method were found to be good and the limits of the detection were calculated in the low μg l⁻¹ level ranging between 0.01 and 0.07 μg l⁻¹. Matrix effects were determined by applying the proposed method to spiked tap, river water and treated municipal wastewater samples. The proposed method was finally applied to the determination of target pollutants in real wastewater effluent samples using the standard addition method.