Rapid Determination of Vitamin D3 in Aquatic Products by Polypyrrole-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles Extraction Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Detection

A method using polypyrrole-coated Fe3O4 (Fe3O4@PPy composites) based extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography was developed for adsorption and detection of trace vitamin D3 (VD3) in aquatic products. The fabricated Fe3O4@PPy composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Fe3O4@PPy composites showed efficient adsorption of VD3 at pH 9.0 and 25 °C with a dose of 25 mg per 10 mL of sample solution and an adsorption time of 11 min. Methanol was selected as the desorption solvent to recover VD3 from Fe3O4@PPy composites after 3 min of static treatment. Fe3O4@PPy composites can be used for VD3 adsorption at least two times. The developed method showed a good linearity for VD3 determination in the range of 0.1-10 μg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9989. The limits of detection and quantification were 10 ng/mL and 33 ng/mL, respectively. The recovery of VD3 in a spiking test was 97.72% with a relative standard deviation value of 1.78%. The content of VD3 in nine aquatic products was determined with this method. Our results show that Fe3O4@PPy composites provide a convenient method for the adsorption and determination of VD3 from the complex matrix of aquatic products.

Functionalization of a SiO2-coated magnetic graphene oxide composite with polyaniline–polypyrrole for magnetic solid phase extraction of ultra-trace Cr(iii) and Pb(ii) in water and food samples using a Box–Behnken design

A novel nanocomposite was successfully applied for magnetic solid phase extraction of heavy metals in environmental water and food samples.

In Search of the Ultimate Benzene Sensor: The EtQxBox Solution

In this work we report a comprehensive study leading to the fabrication of a prototype sensor for environmental benzene monitoring. The required high selectivity and ppb-level sensitivity are obtained by coupling a silicon-integrated concentration unit containing the specifically designed EtQxBox cavitand to a miniaturized PID detector. In the resulting stand-alone sensor, the EtQxBox receptor acts at the same time as highly sensitive preconcentrator for BTEX and GC-like separation phase, allowing for the selective desorption of benzene over TEX. The binding energies of the complexes between EtQxBox and BTX are calculated through molecular mechanics calculations. The examination of the corresponding crystal structures confirms the trend determined by computational studies, with the number of C-H···N and CH···π interactions increasing from 6 to 9 along the series from benzene to o-xylene. The analytical performances of EtQxBox are experimentally tested via SPME, using the cavitand as fiber coating for BTEX monitoring in air. The cavitand EFs are noticeably higher than those obtained by using the commercial CAR-DVB-PDMS. The LOD and LOQ are calculated in the ng/m³ range, outperforming the commercial available systems in BTEX adsorption. The desired selective desorption of benzene is achieved by applying a smart temperature program on the EtQxBox mesh, which starts releasing benzene at lower temperatures than TEX, as predicted by the calculated binding energies. The sensor performances are experimentally validated and ppb_v level sensitivity toward the carcinogenic target aromatic benzene was demonstrated, as required for environmental benzene exposure monitoring in industrial applications and outdoor environment.

Notably enhanced thermoelectric properties of lamellar polypyrrole by doping with β-naphthalene sulfonic acid

This work demonstrates the development of lamellar polypyrrole (PPy) with much enhanced thermoelectric properties after doping β-naphthalene sulfonic acid.

Graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin composite as fiber coating for high efficiency headspace solid phase microextraction of organophosphate ester flame retardants in environmental water

The preparation of a GO/β-CD sol–gel stainless steel fiber coating and its application for HS-SPME of OPFR.

Three-dimensional graphene aerogel–mesoporous carbon composites as novel coatings for solid-phase microextraction for the efficient enrichment of brominated flame retardants

Graphene aerogel–mesoporous carbon composites with hierarchical nanostructures were synthesized via a facile, environmentally friendly nanocasting technique for SPME coatings.

Graphene-Based Materials as Solid Phase Extraction Sorbent for Trace Metal Ions, Organic Compounds, and Biological Sample Preparation

Graphene is a new carbon-based material that is of interest in separation science. Graphene has extraordinary properties including nano size, high surface area, thermal and chemical stability, and excellent adsorption affinity to pollutants. Its adsorption mechanisms are through non-covalent interactions (π-π stacking, electrostatic interactions, and H-bonding) for organic compounds and covalent interactions for metal ions. These properties have led to graphene-based material becoming a desirable adsorbent in a popular sample preparation technique known as solid phase extraction (SPE). Numerous studies have been published on graphene applications in recent years, but few review papers have focused on its applications in analytical chemistry. This article focuses on recent preconcentration of trace elements, organic compounds, and biological species using SPE-based graphene, graphene oxide, and their modified forms. Solid phase microextraction and micro SPE (µSPE) methods based on graphene are discussed.

Development of a solid-phase microextraction fiber by the chemical binding of graphene oxide on a silver-coated stainless-steel wire with an ionic liquid as the crosslinking agent

Graphene oxide was bonded onto a silver-coated stainless-steel wire using an ionic liquid as the crosslinking agent by a layer-by-layer strategy. The novel solid-phase microextraction fiber was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman microscopy. A multilayer graphene oxide layer was closely coated onto the supporting substrate. The thickness of the coating was about 4 μm. Coupled with gas chromatography, the fiber was evaluated using five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, 1,2-benzophenanthrene, and benzo(a)pyrene) as model analytes in direct-immersion mode. The main conditions (extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, and desorption time) were optimized by a factor-by-factor optimization. The as-established method exhibited a wide linearity range (0.5-200 μg/L) and low limits of determination (0.05-0.10 μg/L). It was applied to analyze environmental water samples of rain and river water. Three kinds of the model analytes were quantified and the recoveries of samples spiked at 10 μg/L were in the range of 92.3-120 and 93.8-115%, respectively. The obtained results indicated the fiber was efficient for solid-phase microextraction analysis.

Graphene coating bonded onto stainless steel wire as a solid-phase microextraction fiber

A graphene coating bonded onto stainless steel wire was fabricated and investigated as a solid-phase microextraction fiber. The coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The coating with rough and crinkled structure was about 1 μm. These characteristics were helpful for promoting extraction. Using five n-alkanes (n-undecane, n-dodecane, n-tridecane, n-tetradecane and n-hexadecane) as analytes, the fiber was evaluated in direct-immersion mode by coupling with gas chromatography (GC). Through optimizing extraction and desorption conditions, a sensitive SPME-GC analytical method was established. SPME-GC method provided wide linearity range (0.2-150 μg L(-1)) and low limits of determination (0.05-0.5 μg L(-1)). It was applied to analyze rain water and a soil sample, and analytes were quantified in the range of 0.85-1.96 μg L(-1) and 0.09-3.34 μg g(-1), respectively. The recoveries of samples spiked at 10 μg L(-1) were in the range of 90.1-120% and 80.6-94.2%, respectively. The fiber also exhibited high thermal and chemical stability, due to the covalent bonds between graphene coating and wire, and the natural resistance of graphene for thermal, acid and basic conditions.

Cavitand-based solid-phase microextraction coating for the selective detection of nitroaromatic explosives in air and soil

A selective cavitand-based solid-phase microextraction coating was synthesized for the determination of nitroaromatic explosives and explosive taggants at trace levels in air and soil. A quinoxaline cavitand functionalized with a carboxylic group at the upper rim was used to enhance selectivity toward analytes containing nitro groups. The fibers were characterized in terms of film thickness, morphology, thermal stability, and pH resistance. An average coating thickness of 50 (±4) μm, a thermal stability until 400 °C, and an excellent fiber-to-fiber and batch to batch repeatability with RSD lower than 4% were obtained. The capabilities of the developed coating for the selective sampling of nitroaromatic explosives were proved achieving LOD values in the low ppbv and ng kg(-1) range, respectively, for air and soil samples.

Graphene-based materials: fabrication and application for adsorption in analytical chemistry

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms densely packed into a honeycomb crystal lattice with unique electronic, chemical, and mechanical properties, is the 2D allotrope of carbon. Owing to the remarkable properties, graphene and graphene-based materials are likely to find potential applications as a sorbent in analytical chemistry. The current review focuses predominantly on the recent development of graphene-based materials and demonstrates their enhanced performance in adsorption of organic compounds, metal ions, and solid phase extraction as well as in separation science since mostly 2012.