A Taiji-principle-designed magnetic porous C-doped graphitic carbon nitride for environment-friendly solid phase extraction of pollutants from water samples

Simultaneous monitoring of multiple prohibited drugs in various aquatic products

Both sedative and antipathogenic drugs are often found to be illegally used in aquaculture, but there is a lack of simultaneous monitoring methods. A method for simultaneously monitoring multiple prohibited drugs in various aquatic product samples was developed in this work, including fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish. Sulfonic acid-functionalized magnetic graphitic carbon nitride (S-MGCN) was synthesized and validated to efficiently co-extract all targets (adsorption efficiency over 90.07%) through various adsorption mechanisms such as electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction while demonstrating good sample matrix purification ability (matrix effect below 13.60%). A new magnetic solid-phase extraction method based on S-MGCN was subsequently established. Coupled with UPLC-MS/MS, the detection limits were 0.030.075 μg /kg, and the recoveries ranged from 88.76% to 111.74% with the RSDs lower than 14.60%, indicating that the developed method has good sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. Further validation of its practicality was achieved through actual sample analysis.

Self-assembled Fe3O4-NH2 @g-C3N4 composite for magnetic solid-phase extraction of benzophenones in sea water and lake water coupled with LC-MS/MS determination

Magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) was developed based on a well-designed Fe3O4-NH2 @g-C3N4 nanocomposite as sorbent for a mixture of six benzophenones (BPs) in environmental water samples. The composite fabricated via in-situ self-assembled g-C3N4 shell with homogeneous polymerization of cyanuric chloride and cyanuric acid on Fe3O4-NH2 core. While high adsorption capacity was derived from g-C3N4 via hydrophobic, π-π and hydrogen bonding interactions to the targets, the fast magnetic separation was realized with Fe3O4 core for less solvent consumption. In combination with LC-MS/MS, the Fe3O4-NH2 @g-C3N4 sorbent minimized the interfering components, reduced the matrix effects, and provided the enrichment factors of 121-150 for six BPs with relative standard deviations ≤ 9.7% even after 20 times extraction-desorption cycles. The present method gave the detection limits of 0.3-2.5 ng/L for six BPs with the linear ranges of 1.0-2000 ng/L, and the recoveries of 84.6%-104% in sea water and 86.2%-107% in lake water samples. Thus, the Fe3O4-NH2 @g-C3N4-based MSPE coupled with LC-MS/MS method provided a convenient, efficient, and reliable alternative to monitor trace BPs in environmental water samples.

[Determination of three diphenyl ether herbicides in rice by magnetic solid phase extraction using Fe3O4@MOF-808 coupled with high performance liquid chromatography]

利用溶剂热法构筑了Fe₃O₄@MOF-808吸附剂,将其用于大米中除草醚(NIT)、乙氧氟草醚(OXY)和甲羧除草醚(BIF)3种二苯醚类除草剂的富集,结合高效液相色谱法,建立了大米中该类除草剂的分析方法。研究通过傅里叶变换红外光谱、X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜以及振动样品磁强计对构筑的磁性吸附剂的结构、表面形貌及磁强度进行表征。表征结果显示,球形的Fe₃O₄纳米颗粒与八面体形貌的MOF-808成功复合,Fe₃O₄@MOF-808饱和磁化强度可达40.35 emu/g,可以满足磁性固相萃取的需求;对吸附剂用于大米中3种二苯醚类除草剂富集的磁性固相萃取条件(吸附剂用量、吸附时间、洗脱溶剂种类以及洗脱体积)进行了优化。优化结果显示,25 mg吸附剂在6 min内即可达到对目标物的完全吸附,洗脱溶剂采用0.5 mL×2的甲醇。在最优的磁性固相萃取条件下,结合高效液相色谱-紫外检测法,建立了大米中3种二苯醚类除草剂的分析方法。方法在2~300 μg/L范围内线性关系良好(r > 0.998), NIT、OXY、BIF的检出限和定量限依次为0.6、0.6、0.4 μg/kg和2.0、2.0、1.5 μg/kg,在5、10和20 μg/kg 3个加标水平下的回收率为87.3%~96.7%,相对标准偏差不超过10.8%,且富集因子在25~29之间。将所建方法用于大米中NIT、OXY、BIF的分析,各样品均未检出这3种二苯醚类除草剂。该方法具有操作简单、快速、准确的特点,适用于大米样品中除草剂的残留分析。

Insights into the structure-performance relationships of extraction materials in sample preparation for chromatography

Sample preparation is one of the most crucial steps in analytical processes. Commonly used methods, including solid-phase extraction, dispersive solid-phase extraction, dispersive magnetic solid-phase extraction, and solid-phase microextraction, greatly depend on the extraction materials. In recent decades, a vast number of materials have been studied and used in sample preparation for chromatography. Due to the unique structural properties, extraction materials significantly improve the performance of extraction devices. Endowing extraction materials with suitable structural properties can shorten the pretreatment process and improve the extraction efficiency and selectivity. To understand the structure-performance relationships of extraction materials, this review systematically summarizes the structural properties, including the pore size, pore shape, pore volume, accessibility of active sites, specific surface area, functional groups and physicochemical properties. The mechanisms by which the structural properties influence the extraction performance are also elucidated in detail. Finally, three principles for the design and synthesis of extraction materials are summarized. This review can provide systematic guidelines for synthesizing extraction materials and preparing extraction devices.

Fast and simple determination of estrogens in milk powders by magnetic solid-phase extraction using carbon nitride composites prior to HPLC

A graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄/Fe₃O₄)-based magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) approach was established for fast and simple analysis of estrogens in milk powders. The composites were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and pore size distribution analyzer. Compared with the bulk g-C₃N₄, g-C₃N₄/Fe₃O₄ gave a narrower distribution of mesopores and provided an enhanced surface area from 77.1 to 113.7 m²/g. Polar analytes of estrogens were selected as model compounds and the extraction of four estrogens was achieved in n-hexane using 15 mg of adsorbent within only 2 min. Possible extraction mechanism of g-C₃N₄/Fe₃O₄ for these estrogens was explored in terms of the polarity of the analytes and the adsorption performance of the adsorbent. The hydrophobicity and the hydrogen-bond interaction between the estrogens and g-C₃N₄ were responsible for the efficient adsorption. Combined with HPLC, MSPE with the prepared adsorbent gave the enhancement factors of 20 to 24 and the linear ranges of 2-200 μg/kg for 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol, 1.5-150 μg/kg for estrone, and 3-300 μg/kg for hexestrol. The detection limits and quantification limits for the estrogens in milk powders were 0.5-0.9 μg/kg and 1.5-3.0 μg/kg, respectively. The recoveries varied from 75.1 to 97.2%, with the intra-day and inter-day precisions ≤ 14.2%. Furthermore, the enrichment of the analytes and the clean-up of fat and protein interferences were achieved simultaneously with one-step g-C₃N₄-based MSPE. The present method was convenient, fast, and sensitive, and therefore could be successfully applied for the determination of estrogens in milk powders. Graphical abstract.

Magnetic graphitic carbon nitride nano-composite for ultrasound-assisted dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction of Hg(II) prior to quantitation by atomic fluorescence spectroscopy

A nanosheet structure of Fe₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ magnetic composite has been prepared and utilized as adsorbent for the ultrasound-assisted dispersive magnetic micro-solid-phase extraction of the ultra-trace inorganic mercury [Hg(II)]. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fouries transform infrared spectroscopy images manifested that the hydrothermal systhesis promoted the binding of Fe₃O₄ particles with g-C₃N₄. The enrichment performance of composites depended on their compositions, and the recovery of Hg(II) on C-m30 (with Fe₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ mass ratio 2:3) was higher than that on other ratios. Recorded data showed that ultrasound wave was an effective method for reducing the agglomeration of magnetic materials and enhancing their adsorption properties. The Hg signal obtained by 80% power input is 3.2 times stronger than the signal by strring mode. X-ray diffraction characterization of the recovered adsorbent showed that g-C₃N₄ needed to be updated after repeated use for four times. In addition, competitive adsorption may be main factor affecting the inhibitory effect of high concentration methylmercury on inorganic mercury. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit of the proposed method was 1.4 ng L^-1 and relative standard deviation of 4.6% for 0.05 μg L^-1 Hg(II) was obtained. The linear calibration range was 0.005-0.4 μg L^-1. The accuracy of the method was verified through analysis of the certificated reference materials. The proposed method has been applied in the determination of inorganic Hg in natural water samples.

Polymeric ionic liquid modified graphene oxide-grafted silica for solid-phase extraction to analyze the excretion-dynamics of flavonoids in urine by Box-Behnken statistical design

A solid-phase extraction method for the efficient analysis of the excretion-dynamics of flavonoids in urine was established and described. In this work, in situ surface radical chain-transfer polymerization and in situ anion exchange were utilized to tune the extraction performance of poly(1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium bromide)-graphene oxide-grafted silica (poly(VHIm(+)Br(-))@GO@Sil). Graphene oxide (GO) was first coated onto the silica using a layer-by-layer fabrication method, and then the anion of poly(VHIm(+)Br(-))@GO@Sil was changed into hexafluorophosphate (PF6(-)) by in situ anion exchange. The interaction energies between two PILs and four flavonoids were calculated with the Gaussian09 suite of programs. A Box-Behnken design was used for the optimization of four greatly influential parameters after single-factor experiments to obtain more accurate and precise results. Coupled to high performance liquid chromatography, the poly(VHIm(+)PF6(-))@GO@Sil method showed acceptable extraction recoveries for the four flavonoids, with limits of detection in the range of 0.1-0.5μgL(-1), and wide linear ranges with correlation coefficients (R) ranging from 0.9935 to 0.9987. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed method was applied to analyze the urines collected from a healthy volunteer. The excretion amount-time profiles revealed that 4-15h was the main excretion time for the detected flavonoids. The results indicated that the newly developed method offered the advantages of being feasible, green and cost-effective, and could be successfully applied to the extraction and enrichment of flavonoids in human body systems allowing the study of the metabolic kinetics.