A facile and fully automated on-fiber derivatization protocol for direct analysis of short-chain aliphatic amines using a matrix compatible solid-phase microextraction coating

Development of a new continuous homogenous liquid phase microextraction procedure based on in-situ preparation of deep eutectic solvent; application in the analysis of aliphatic amines in urine samples by GC-MS

In the present work, a new microextraction procedure combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been developed for the analysis of several aliphatic amines from urine sample. The sample preparation method was a continuous homogenous liquid phase microextraction that was based on in-situ preparation of 4-chlorophenol: choline chloride deep eutectic solvent. The deep eutectic solvent was prepared by passing the mixture of related compounds through a syringe barrel filled with exothermic salts (calcium chloride and potassium bromide). The released heat by dissolving the salts and increasing the solution ionic strength assists the formation of the deep eutectic solvent. The influence of various factors on the efficiency of the proposed procedure including salts amount, flow rate, pH, salting-out effect, and extraction solvent volume was studied. The calibration curves were linear broadly over the concentration range of 1.2-250 ng mL-1 with coefficient of determinations ≥0.996. The enrichment factors were in the range of 188-246 and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.16-0.37 and 0.56-1.2 ng mL-1, respectively. Based on the results, the offered method was sensitive, rapid, eco-friendly, and efficient for extracting and determining aliphatic amines in urine samples.

Automated method using direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction and on-fiber derivatization coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry for profiling naphthenic acids in produced water

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are naturally occurring organic acids in petroleum and are found in waste waters generated during oil production (produced water, PW). Profiling this class of compounds is important due to flow assurance during oil exploration. Compositional analysis of PW is also relevant for waste treatment to reduce negative impacts on the environment. Here, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC×GC-HRMS) was applied as an ideal platform for qualitative analysis of NAs by combining the high peak capacity of the composite system with automated scripts for group-type identification based on accurate mass measurements and fragmentation patterns. To achieve high-throughput profiling of NAs in PW samples, direct-immersion solid phase microextraction (DI-SPME) was selected for extraction, derivatization and preconcentration. A fully automated DI-SPME method was developed to combine extraction, fiber rinsing and drying, and on-fiber derivatization with N-methyl-N‑tert-butyldimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA). Data processing was based on filtering scripts using the Computer Language for Identifying Chemicals (CLIC). The method successfully identified up to 94 NAs comprising carbon numbers between 6 and 18 and hydrogen deficiency values ranging from 0 to -4. The proposed method demonstrated wider extraction coverage compared to traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) - a critical factor for petroleomic investigations. The method developed also enabled quantitative analysis, exhibiting detection limits of 0.5 ng L^-1 and relative standard deviation (RSD) at a concentration of NAs of 30 µg L^-1 ranging from 4.5 to 25.0%.

Hunting Molecules in Complex Matrices with SPME Arrows: A Review

Thirty years since the invention and public disclosure of solid phase microextraction (SPME), the technology continues evolving and inspiring several other green extraction technologies amenable for the collection of small molecules present in complex matrices. In this manuscript, we review the fundamental and operational aspects of a novel SPME geometry that can be used to “hunt” target molecules in complex matrices: the SPME Arrow. In addition, a series of applications in environmental, food, cannabis and forensic analysis are succinctly covered. Finally, special emphasis is placed on novel interfaces to analytical instrumentation, as well as recent developments in coating materials for the SPME Arrow.

In Situ Real-Time Tracing of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Apples by Solid-Phase Microextraction with Developed Sampling-Rate Calibration

An in situ tracing study based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was conducted to investigate the uptake and elimination of organophosphorus pesticides in apples. A matrix-compatible polydimethylsiloxane/poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene)/polydimethylsiloxane fiber was produced to meet the needs of in situ sampling. The fiber had high extraction ability, good sensitivity and accuracy with respect to the analytes in apple pulp, and could be used 85 times. Although the sampling rate was changing over time, quantification was still achieved by the sampling rate calibration method. Some factors that affect its applicability were studied. The limits of detection were 0.18 ng/g for diazinon and 0.20 ng/g for chlorpyrifos, rather lower than the maximum residue limits of the National Food Safety Standard of China (GB 2763-2016) and the European Commission (Reg.(EU) No 834/2013, 2018/686). The accuracy of in situ SPME quantification was verified by comparing with the results obtained by the traditional liquid-liquid extraction method. In this work, the in situ sampling method is developed using apples, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos as a model system; however, this method can be used for in vivo analysis of fruits and vegetables for nutrition and safety monitoring.

Inhibition of water adsorption into polar solid-phase microextraction materials with ultrathin polydimethylsiloxane coating for thermal desorption-gas chromatography analysis

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with thermal desorption-gas chromatography (TD-GC) has become a powerful analysis tool for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in water samples. However, water adsorption into polar microextraction phase is usually unavoidable during the extraction process, and the burst of large amounts of water vapour during thermal desorption will cause serious problems to GC separation and detectors. Pawliszyn's group had demonstrated that the tens of micron-thick, defect-free polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating could act as a perfect barrier for water adsorption and offer much better compatibility in complex matrices. However, the PDMS overcoat largely decreased the uptake rate of polar analytes into the inner sorbent. In order to quantify the effect of PDMS coating thickness on water adsorption amount and the extraction kinetics, ultrathin PDMS layer was used to coat the polar extraction phase with polyimide (PI) as a model in this work. It was surprising to find that the PDMS coating with the thickness less than one micron can decrease the water adsorption by 96%, while the extraction efficiency for polar analytes (phenolic compounds and nitroaromatic explosives) was decreased by less than 20% at the extraction time of 30 min. Moreover, the kinetic data showed that the thinner the PDMS coating was, the less the uptake rate of polar analytes into PI extraction phase decreased. Finally, polar poly (phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) extraction phase was also coated with ultrathin PDMS coating to verify the universality of the strategy. Generally, the water adsorption problem in polar SPME was overcome to a great extent, and the extraction efficiency of polar analytes was mainly preserved with this ultrathin PDMS coating, which could broaden the application of SPME in the environmental field.