Preparation and investigation of polymethylphenylvinylsiloxane-coated solid-phase microextraction fibers using sol-gel technology

Recent developments in headspace microextraction techniques for the analysis of environmental contaminants in different matrices

Headspace microextraction procedures such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and single drop microextraction (SDME) or liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) are increasingly used for the extraction of environmental organic pollutants from a variety of aqueous, viscous, semisolid and solid environmental and biological matrices. In this article, recent analytical applications of these methodologies when used as an isolation and trace enrichment step prior to the analysis of organic pollutants (pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated compounds, organotin compounds, phenolic derivatives, aromatic amines, phthalates, etc.) by gas and liquid chromatography are reviewed. The applicability and inherent limitations of headspace microextraction are also discussed. The future direction of research in this field and general trends toward commercial applications are considered.

pH-resistant titania hybrid organic–inorganic sol–gel coating for solid-phase microextraction of polar compounds

A novel titania-hydroxy-terminated silicone oil (titania-OH-TSO) sol-gel coating was developed for solid-phase microextraction of polar compounds. In general, titania-based sol-gel reaction is very fast and need to be decelerated by the use of suitable chelating agents. But in the present work, a judiciously designed sol solution ingredients was used to create the titania-OH-TSO coating without the addition of any chelating agent, which simplified the sol-gel procedure. Thanks to the variety of titania's adsorption sites and their acid-base characteristics, aromatic amines, phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were efficiently extracted and preconcentrated from aqueous samples followed by thermal desorption and GC analysis. The newly developed sol-gel hybrid titania coating demonstrated excellent pH stability, and retained its extraction characteristics intact even after continuous rinsing with a 3 M HCl or NaOH solution for 12 h. Furthermore, it could withstand temperatures as high as 320 degrees C. Practical application was demonstrated through the analysis of six aromatic amines in dye process wastewater. A linearity of four orders of magnitude was obtained with correlation coefficient better than 0.9982. The detection limits ranged from 0.22 to 0.84 microg L(-1) and the repeatability of the measurements was <7.0%. The recoveries of these compounds studied in the wastewater were in the ranges 83.6-101.4%, indicating the method accuracy.

Physically incorporated extraction phase of solid-phase microextraction by sol–gel technology

A sol-gel method for the preparation of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was described and evaluated. The extraction phase of poly(dimethysiloxane) (PDMS) containing 3% vinyl group was physically incorporated into the sol-gel network without chemical bonding. The extraction phase itself is then partly crosslinked at 320 degrees C, forming an independent polymer network and can withstand desorption temperature of 290 degrees C. The headspace extraction of BTX by the fiber SPME was evaluated and the detection limit of o-xylene was down to 0.26 ng/l. Extraction and determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in water, orange juice and red wine by the SPME-GC thermionic specified detector (TSD) was validated. Limits of detection of the method for OPPs were below 10 ng/l except methidathion. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) were in the range of 1-20% for pesticides being tested.

High extraction efficiency fiber coated with calix[4] open-chain crown ether for solid-phase microextraction of polar aromatic and aliphatic compounds

The calix[4] open-chain crown ether, 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di(2-allyloxyethoxyl)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene was synthesized and used for preparation of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers of enhanced extraction efficiency. The new SPME coating made from calix[4] open-chain crown ether and hydroxyl-terminated silicone oil was developed with the aid of vinyltriethoxylsilane as bridge using sol-gel method and cross-linking technology. The efficiency of the novel fiber in the extraction of polar aromatic and aliphatic compounds, such as phenols, alcohols, and volatile fatty acids, was also investigated. Due to the introduction of the polar open-chain crown ether in calix[4]arene molecules, the calix[4] open-chain crown ether fiber showed much better selectivity and sensitivity to these polar compounds in comparison with calix[4]arene fiber. It also had superior extraction efficiency when compared to commercial poly(dimethylsiloxane)-divinylbenzene and polyacrylate fibers. Parts per billion to parts per trillion level detection limits were achieved for most of the analytes through SPME in conjunction with GC and flame ionization detector. The linear ranges were two to four orders of magnitude, and the RSD values were below 7% for all analytes. The novel fiber was applied to determine volatile alcohols and fatty acids in wine samples. The volatile-free wine prepared in this work was used to assure similar chemical environment for analytes in both calibration solutions and in real wine samples, thus compensating for possible matrix interferences. The established internal standard method using 4-methyl-2-pentanol as internal standard showed satisfactory accuracy and precision.

Determination of organochlorine pesticides and their derivations in water after HS-SPME using polymethylphenylvinylsiloxane-coated fiber by GC-ECD

A porous sol-gel polymethylphenylvinylsiloxane-coated fiber was applied to optimize the headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) conditions for the analysis of 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and their derivations in water. Their determination was carried out using gas chromatography (GC) with electron capture detector (ECD). The method developed was applied to the analysis of lake water samples. Detection limits varied from 0.835 to 13.0 ng/l and relative standard deviations (RSD<or=11.8%) were obtained showing that the precision of the method is reliable. The method also showed good linearity for the tested concentration range with regression coefficients (R2) ranging between 0.980 and 0.999. Recoveries for all the analytes ranged from 71.5% to 115.5%. The results demonstrate the suitability of the HS-SPME/GC-ECD approach for the analysis of multi-residue OCPs in water.

Preparation and application of the sol–gel-derived acrylate/silicone co-polymer coatings for headspace solid-phase microextraction of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide in soil

Three types of novel acrylate/silicone co-polymer coatings, including co-poly(methyl acrylate/hydroxy-terminated silicone oil) (MA/OH-TSO), co-poly(methyl methacrylate/OH-TSO) (MMA/OH-TSO) and co-poly(butyl methacrylate/OH-TSO) (BMA/OH-TSO), were prepared for the first time by sol-gel method and cross-linking technology and subsequently applied to headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), a surrogate of mustard, in soil. The underlying mechanisms of the coating process were discussed and confirmed by IR spectra. The selectivity of the three types of sol-gel-derived acrylate/silicone coated fibers was studied, and the BMA/OH-TSO coated fibers exhibited the highest extraction ability to CEES. The concentration of BMA and OH-TSO in sol solution was optimized, and the BMA/OH-TSO (3:1)-coated fibers possessed the highest extraction efficiency. Compared with commercially available polyacrylate (PA) fiber, the sol-gel-derived BMA/OH-TSO (3:1) fibers showed much higher extraction efficiency to CEES. Therefore, the BMA/OH-TSO (3:1)-coated fibers were chosen for the analysis of CEES in soil matrix. The reproducibility of coating preparation was satisfactory, with the RSD 2.39% within batch and 3.52% between batches, respectively. The coatings proved to be quite stable at high temperature (to 350 degrees C) and in different solvents (organic or inorganic), thus their lifetimes (to 150 times) are longer than conventional fibers. Extraction parameters, such as the volume of water added to the soil, extraction temperature and time, and the ionic strength were optimized. The linearity was from 0.1 to 10 microg/g, the limit of detection (LOD) was 2.7 ng/g, and the RSD was 2.19%. The recovery of CEES was 88.06% in agriculture soil, 92.61% in red clay, and 101.95% in sandy soil, respectively.

An HPLC-MS approach for analysis of very long chain fatty acids and other apolar compounds on octadecyl-silica phase using partly miscible solvents

A novel approach for analyzing underivatized very long chain fatty acids (C16-C26) and other apolar compounds such as triacylglycerols is described. It is based on reversed-phase HPLC separation followed by mass spectrometric detection. Partly miscible solvents are used for stepwise gradient elution starting with a methanol/water and ending with a methanol/n-hexane binary mixture. The developed technique does not need derivatization, and analysis is fast (fatty acids were separated in 2-min-long chromatograms) and robust. The developed method is also very sensitive; a quantitation limit in the low-picogram range was achieved for fatty acids. The separation mechanism and advantages of the suggested technique are discussed and illustrated in the case of blood analysis and plant oil characterization.

Preparation of novel solid-phase microextraction fibers by sol–gel technology for headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatographic analysis of aroma compounds in beer

3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSPMA) was first used as precursor as well as selective stationary phase to prepare the sol-gel-derived TMSPMA-hydroxyl-terminated silicone oil (TMSPMA-OH-TSO) solid-phase mircroextraction (SPME) fibers for the analysis of aroma compounds in beer. TMSPMA-OH-TSO was a medium polarity coating, and was found to be very effective in carrying out simultaneous extraction of both polar alcohols and fatty acids and nonpolar esters in beer. The extraction temperature, extraction time, and ionic strength of the sample matrix were modified to allow for maximium sorption of the analytes onto the fiber. Desorption temperature and time were optimized to avoid the carryover effects. To check the matrix effects, several different matrices, including distilled water, 4% ethanol/water (v/v) solution, a concentrated synthetic beer, a "volatile-free" beer and a real beer were investigated. Matrix effects were compensated for by using 4-methyl-2-pentanol as internal standard and selecting the "volatile-free" beer as working standard. The method proposed in this study showed satisfactory linearity, precision and detection limits and accuracy. The established headspace SPME-gas chromatography (GC) method was then used for determination of volatile compounds in four beer varieties. The recoveries obtained ranged from 92.8 to 105.8%. The relative standard deviations (RSD, n = 5) for all analytes were below 10%. The major aroma contributing substances of each variety were identified via aroma indexes.

Sol–gel approach to in situ creation of high pH-resistant surface-bonded organic–inorganic hybrid zirconia coating for capillary microextraction (in-tube SPME)

A novel zirconia-based hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel coating was developed for capillary microextraction (CME) (in-tube SPME). High degree of chemical inertness inherent in zirconia makes it very difficult to covalently bind a suitable organic ligand to its surface. In the present work, this problem was addressed from a sol-gel chemistry point of view. Principles of sol-gel chemistry were employed to chemically bind a hydroxy-terminated silicone polymer (polydimethyldiphenylsiloxane, PDMDPS) to a sol-gel zirconia network in the course of its evolution from a highly reactive alkoxide precursor undergoing controlled hydrolytic polycondensation reactions. A fused silica capillary was filled with a properly designed sol solution to allow for the sol-gel reactions to take place within the capillary for a predetermined period of time (typically 15-30 min). In the course of this process, a layer of the evolving hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel polymer got chemically anchored to the silanol groups on the capillary inner walls via condensation reaction. At the end of this in-capillary residence time, the unbonded part of the sol solution was expelled from the capillary under helium pressure, leaving behind a chemically bonded sol-gel zirconia-PDMDPS coating on the inner walls. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, and aldehydes were efficiently extracted and preconcentrated from dilute aqueous samples using sol-gel zirconia-PDMDPS coated capillaries followed by thermal desorption and GC analysis of the extracted solutes. The newly developed sol-gel hybrid zirconia coatings demonstrated excellent pH stability, and retained the extraction characteristics intact even after continuous rinsing with a 0.1 M NaOH solution for 24 h. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a sol-gel zirconia-based hybrid organic-inorganic coating as an extraction medium in solid phase microextraction (SPME).

Parts per quadrillion level ultra-trace determination of polar and nonpolar compounds via solvent-free capillary microextraction on surface-bonded sol–gel polytetrahydrofuran coating and gas chromatography–flame ionization detection

Sol-gel polytetrahydrofuran (poly-THF) coating was developed for high-sensitivity sample preconcentration by capillary microextraction (CME). Parts per quadrillion (ppq) level detection limits were achieved for both polar and nonpolar analytes through sample preconcentration on sol-gel poly-THF coated microextraction capillaries followed by gas chromatography (GC) analysis of the extracted compounds using a flame ionization detector (FID). The sol-gel coating was in situ created on the inner walls of a fused silica capillary using a sol solution containing poly-THF as an organic component, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS) as a sol-gel precursor, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, 5% water) as a sol-gel catalyst, and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) as a deactivating reagent. The sol solution was introduced into a hydrothermally-treated fused silica capillary and the sol-gel reactions were allowed to take place inside the capillary for 60 min. A wall-bonded coating was formed due to the condensation of silanol groups residing on the capillary inner surface with those on the sol-gel network fragments evolving in close vicinity of the capillary walls. Poly-THF is a medium polarity polymer, and was found to be effective in carrying out simultaneous extraction of both polar and nonpolar analytes. Efficient extraction of a wide range of trace analytes from aqueous samples was accomplished using sol-gel poly-THF coated fused silica capillaries for further analysis by GC. The test analytes included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aldehydes, ketones, chlorophenols, and alcohols. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a poly-THF based sol-gel material in analytical microextraction. Sol-gel poly-THF coated CME capillaries showed excellent solvent and thermal stability (>320 degrees C).

Preparation and characteristics of sol–gel-coated calix[4]arene fiber for solid-phase microextraction

5,11,17,23-Tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-diethoxy-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene/hydroxy-terminated silicone oil coated fiber was first prepared and applied for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with sol-gel technology. The possible sol-gel mechanism was discussed and confirmed by IR spectra. It showed wonderful selectivity and sensitivity to polar (aromatic amines), nonpolar (benzene derivatives, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and high boiling point compounds (phthalates) and the extraction equilibria were reached quite fast. The coating has high thermal stability (380 degrees C) and solvent stability (organic and inorganic), thus its lifetime is longer than conventional fibers. In addition, it has surprising fiber-to-fiber and batch-to-batch reproducibility. The detection limits were quite low and the linear ranges were pretty broad for all analytes.