Multiwalled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase extraction materials for the gas chromatographic determination of organophosphorus pesticides in waters

Chemical Vapour Deposition of MWCNT on Silica Coated Fe3O4 and Use of Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing the Extraction of Organophosphorus Pesticides from Water

Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was fixed onto the surface of a magnetic silica (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂) substrate via chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Acetylene gas was used as the carbon source and cobalt oxide as the catalyst. The chemical and physical characteristics of the materials were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm. The synthesized Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-MWCNT nanocomposite was used as a magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the preconcentration of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), specifically, azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, parathion, and malathion. The factors influencing the extraction efficiency such as pH, contact time, and adsorbent dosage were investigated and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function. Linear response was obtained in the concentration range of 10–200 μg/L for the analytes with determination coefficients ranging between 0.9955 and 0.9977. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.004-0.150 μg/L and 0.013-0.499 μg/L, respectively. Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-MWCNT was applied in the extraction and subsequent determination of OPPs in water samples from Vaal River and Vaal Dam with recoveries ranging from 84.0 to 101.4% (RSDs = 3.8–9.6%, n = 3) in Vaal River and 86.2 to 93.8% (RSDs = 2.9–10.4%, n = 3) in Vaal Dam. The obtained results showed that the newly synthesized Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-MWCNT nanocomposite can be an efficient adsorbent with good potential for the preconcentration and extraction of selected OPPs from aqueous media.

Ultra performance liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure photoionization high resolution mass spectrometric method for determination of multiclass pesticide residues in grape and mango juices

A novel analytical method was developed for determination of organochlorine, synthetic pyrethroid, organophosphate and carbamate pesticide residues in fruit juices using ultra performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-APPI-HRMS). The analytes were extracted from fruit juices by dispersive solid-phase extraction using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The analysis was carried out in full scan mode using dual ionization mode of APPI in the mass range of 100-650 units. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values for the pesticides were in the range of 0.025-0.15 ng mL(-1) and 0.1-0.5 ng mL(-1) respectively. The matrix effect of the method was found to be low and extraction recoveries were in the range of 60-110%. Some of the real fruits juice samples showed the presence of some pesticides in the range of 6.5-24.8 ng L(-1).

[Analysis of organochlorine pesticides and pyrethroid pesticides in vegetables by gas chromatography-electron capture detection coupled with solid-phase extraction using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as adsorbent]

A multi-residue analytical method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as adsorbent was developed. The determination of 6 organochlorine pesticides and 7 pyrethroid pesticides in vegetables (including cucumber, cherry tomato, cabbage, lettuce, purple cabbage, leek, shallot and onion) was carried out by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The GC-ECD method used two columns (HP-50 and HP-1) and two ECD detectors. The HP-50 column was used for the analysis and the HP-1 column for validation. The clean-up conditions were optimized. The analytes were extracted by acetonitrile, and the extract was cleaned up by the MWCNTs SPE cartridge. The extract was re-dissolved by hexane, eluted with acetone-hexane (7:3, v/v) from the columns. The recoveries were over 70% for the 11 pesticides in the 13 pesticides. The results indicated that the MWCNTs SPE cartridge was efficient for 8 vegetable samples, because it reduced the contamination of the coloring materials to GC-ECD. The experimental results showed the MWCNTs SPE cartridge can adsorb the coloring materials and the eluant was nearly colorless.