Vortex-Assisted Ionic Liquid Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography for the Determination of Triazole Fungicides in Fruit Juices

Determination of Fungicides in Fresh Fruit Juice Using Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled With Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

A fast, simple and effective method was developed and validated for determination of 11 fungicides using magnetic solid-phase extraction with NH2-Fe3O4@GO (graphene oxide) combined with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). To carry out the extraction of the fungicides from samples, NH2-Fe3O4@GO nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The target analytes were extracted on NH2-Fe3O4@GO and then eluted by ethyl acetate and acetonitrile (1:1 v/v). Finally, the extraction solvent concentrated by nitrogen blowing was analyzed by GC-MS/MS, which demonstrated good linearity between 0.05 and 5.0 mg L-1. The limits of detection (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) and the limits of quantification (signal-to-noise ratio = 10) for the 11 fungicides ranged from 1.0 to 3.5 and 3.0 to 10.5 μg kg-1, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated by measuring tagged samples; the recoveries and relative standard deviations ranged from 75.3% to 103.9% and 2.19% to 4.68%, respectively. The utility of the adsorbent was demonstrated to determine trace fungicides in fresh fruit juice samples.

Streamlined Water-Leaching Preconcentration Method As a Novel Analytical Approach and Its Coupling to Dispersive Micro-Solid-Phase Extraction Based on Synthetically Modified (Fe/Co) Bimetallic MOFs

The streamlined water-leaching preconcentration method is introduced as a novel preconcentration method in this study. The approach has many benefits including low consumption of organic solvent and deionized water and operation time, energy-saving, no need for dispersion or evaporation, and implementation of more efficient preconcentration. Also, a methodological study was done on the synthesis of (Fe/Co) bimetallic-organic framework that eased the synthesis procedure, decreased its time, and enhanced its analytical performance by increasing its surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter parameters. To perform the extraction, bi-MOF particles were added into the solution of interest enriched with sodium sulfate. After vortexing to adsorb the analytes, centrifugation isolated the sorbent particles. A microliter-volume of acetonitrile and 1,2-dibromoethane mixture was used for desorption aim via vortexing. After the separation of the organic phase and transferring it into a conical bottom glass test tube, a milliliter volume of sodium chloride solution was applied to leach the organic phase. A gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector was applied for the injection of the extracted phase. The method was applied for the extraction and preconcentration of some pesticides from juice samples. Wide linear ranges (5.44-1600 μg L-1), low relative standard deviations (3.1-4.5% for intra- (n = 6) and 3.5-5.2% for interday (n = 4) precisions), high extraction recoveries (61-95%), enrichment factors (305-475), and low limits of detection (0.67-1.65 μg L-1) and quantification (2.21-5.44 μg L-1) were obtained for the developed method.

Dispersive magnetic solid phase extraction of triazole fungicides based on polybenzidine/magnetic nanoparticles in environmental samples

A polybenzidine-modified Fe3O4@SiO2 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized through a chemical oxidation method and employed as a novel sorbent in dispersive magnetic solid phase extraction (DMSPE) for the preconcentration and determination of three triazole fungicides (TFs), namely diniconazole, tebuconazole, and triticonazole in river water, rice paddy soil, and grape samples. The synthesis method involved a polybenzidine self-assembly coating on Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic composite. Characterization techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, FESEM, EDX, and VSM were used to confirm the correctness of the synthesized nano-sorbent. The target TFs were determined in actual samples using the synthesized nanocomposite sorbent in combination with gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (FID). Several variables were carefully optimized , including the sample pH, sorbent dosage, extraction time, ionic strength, and desorption condition (solvent type, volume, and time). Under the optimized experimental conditions, the method exhibited linearity in the concentration range 5-1000 ng mL-1 for triticonazole and 2-1000 ng mL-1 for diniconazole and tebuconazole. The limits of detection (LOD) for the three TFs were in the range 0.6-1.5 ng mL-1. The method demonstrated acceptable precision with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation (RSD) values of less than 6.5%. The enrichment factors ranged from 248 to 254. Finally, the method applicability was evaluated by determining TFs in river water, rice paddy soil, and grape samples with recoveries in the range 90.5-106, indicating that the matrix effect was negligible in the proposed DMSPE procedure.

An effervescence-assisted switchable deep eutectic solvent based liquid-phase microextraction of triazole fungicides in drinking water and beverage

A new effervescence-assisted switchable deep eutectic solvent-based liquid phase microextraction (EA-SDES-LPME) combined with HPLC-UV was developed for determination of common triazole fungicides in drinking water and beverages, including myclobutanil, flusilazole, hexaconazole and bitertanol. The alternative extraction solvent was prepared with hexafluoroisopropanol and dipropylamine with the merits of time-saving, easy to collect and cost-effectiveness. The SDES can be reversibly switched between hydrophilic and hydrophobic states by pH adjustment. The homogeneous extraction was achieved under the hydrophilic form of SDES, and the bi-phase separation was obtained easily by adjusting pH value to restore the original hydrophobicity. Moreover, the characterization of SDES was investigated by FTIR and 1H NMR. The main variables affecting extraction efficiency were optimized in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method shows desirable precision (RSDs less than 18.5%) and acceptable recovery (72.6-95.4%). The lower limits of detection and limits of quantitation were found to be in the range of 1-2 μg L-1 and 5-10 μg L-1, respectively. The formation mechanism of SDES and the extraction mechanism for target analytes were investigated by density functional theory. The proposed methodology was simplicity, sensitive, time-saving and successfully applied to determine triazole fungicides in drinking water and beverages, making it an alternative technique for the analysis of trace analytes with satisfactory sensitivity.

Trace-Level Determination of Triazole Fungicides Using Effervescence-Assisted Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Based on Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvent Prior to High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A simple and sensitive preconcentration method, namely, effervescence-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction based on the ternary deep eutectic solvent method, was developed for enrichment of triazole fungicide residues prior to their determination by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV detection. In this method, a ternary deep eutectic solvent (as extractant) was prepared by combination of octanoic acid, decanoic acid, and dodecanoic acid. The solution was well dispersed with sodium bicarbonate (as effervescence powder) without using auxiliary devices. In order to obtain relatively high extraction efficiency, analytical parameters were investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the proposed method showed good linearity within the range of 1-1000 μg L^-1 with a coefficient for determination (R²) greater than 0.997. The low limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0.3-1.0 μg L^-1. The precisions were assessed from the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of retention time and peak area obtained from intra- (n = 3) and inter-day (n = 5 × 5) experiments, which were greater than 1.21 and 4.79%, respectively. Moreover, the proposed method provided high enrichment factors ranging from 112 to 142 folds. A matrix-match calibration method was used for analysis of real samples. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for determination of the triazole fungicide in environmental water (near agricultural area), honey, and bean samples, and it represents a promising alternative method for analysis of triazoles. The recoveries of the studied triazoles were obtained in the range of 82-106% with an RSD less than 4.89.

An In Situ Formation of Ionic Liquid for Enrichment of Triazole Fungicides in Food Applications Followed by HPLC Determination

An in situ formation of ionic liquid was used for preconcentration of four triazole fungicides in food samples. The microextraction method was used for the first time in the literature for preconcentration of triazole fungicides. In the developed method, tributylhexadecylphosphonium bromide ([P₄₄₄₁₂]Br) and potassium hexafluorophosphate (KPF₆) were used for the formation of hydrophobic ionic liquid. After centrifugation, the fine microdroplets were produced in one step, providing the extraction step in a quick and environmentally friendly manner. The functional group of the hydrophobic ionic liquid was investigated using FT-IR. Various extraction parameters were studied and optimized. In the extraction method, 0.01 g of [P₄₄₄₁₂]Br and 0.01 g of KPF₆, centrifugation at 4500 rpm for 10 min were used. The optimized technique provided a good linear range (90-1000 μg L^-1) and high extraction recovery, with a low limit of detection (30-50 μg L^-1). Methods for the proposed in situ formation of ionic liquid were successfully applied to honey, fruit juice, and egg matrices. The recoveries were obtained in a satisfactory range of 62-112%. The results confirmed the suitability of the proposed microextraction method for selective extraction and quantification of triazole fungicides.

Determination of imidacloprid and acetamiprid in bottled juice by a new DLLME-HPLC

A new kind of surfactant-emulsified vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method (SE-VA-DLLME) using benzyldimethyldodecylammonium chloride (BDDAC) as emulsifier and disperser has been developed for the determination of imidacloprid and acetamiprid in bottled grenadine and black currant juice samples prior to high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection. For grenadine juice and black currant juice, LODs were 0.78 and 0.45 μg/L and 0.81 and 0.83 μg/L and LOQs were 2.8 and 1.7 μg/L and 3.2 and 2.8 μg/L for imidacloprid and acetamiprid, respectively. The linear ranges were wider than 10-3000 μg/L with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.9913, the extraction recoveries were in the range of 61.6-84.2%, the enrichment factors were in the range of 27.0-43.3, and the recoveries and relative standard deviations of the studied neonicotinoids were in the range of 91.94-99.63% and 2.8-6.7%, respectively. The proposed method is presented as a simple, cheap, precise, accurate, and sensitive alternative for the determination of imidacloprid and acetamiprid in bottled grenadine juice and black currant juice samples.

Cyclodextrin-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of fungicides in water, juice, and vinegar samples via HPLC

Cyclodextrin-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (CD-DLLME) was developed for the determination of triazole and strobilurin fungicides in water, juice, and vinegar samples using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). Undecanol, which is a green solvent, was selected as the extraction solvent. A cyclodextrin aqueous solution was chosen as the dispersion solvent and demulsifier to avoid the use of a toxic dispersion solvent and eliminate the centrifugation step. Dispersion and phase separation were completed within 1 and 60 s, respectively. The linear range of this method was 1 to 100 µg L^-1. The limits of detection were 0.3 μg L^-1 along with the preconcentration factor of 133 and enrichment factor of 124. The recovery was 83.2% to 103.2%. This pretreatment method was fast, simple, and environmentally friendly and was successfully applied to the analysis of triazole and strobilurin fungicide residues in water, juice, and vinegar samples.

Determination of pyrethroid residues in herbal tea using temperature-controlled ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction by high performance liquid chromatography

A simple and effective method for determining five pyrethroid residues in herbal tea by ultrasound-enhanced temperature-controlled (UETC) ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed. The use of ultrasonication and heating improved the ability of the ionic liquid to extract the analytes. Various parameters that affect the extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized using single factor experiments and response surface design. The optimum conditions of the experiment were 121 µL of [HMIM][PF6] (extraction solvent), 794 µL of acetonitrile (dispersive solvent), a heating temperature of 40°C, a sonication time of 3.6 min and a pH of 2.9. Under optimized conditions, the linearity was in the range of 0.05–5 mg L⁻¹ with correlation coefficients above 0.9993. The limits of detection and quantification were 1.25–1.35 µg L⁻¹ and 5 µg L⁻¹, respectively. The mean recoveries of the five pyrethroids ranged from 74.02% to 109.01%, with RSDs below 9.04%. The proposed method was reliable for the analysis of pyrethroids in Chinese herbal tea.

Air-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of the aqueous phase for the determination of triazole fungicides in water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly approach was introduced to determine triazole fungicides in water samples by air-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of the aqueous phase using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection. Ionic liquid was applied as the extraction solvent rather than a high-toxicity extraction solvent. The air-assisted dispersion method induced a trace amount of the ionic liquid to disperse as small droplets in the water sample, which significantly increased the contact area between the organic phase and the aqueous phase for the rapid transfer of target fungicides without using a dispersion solvent or auxiliary extraction devices. The solidification of the aqueous phase facilitated the collection of extraction solvent. The type of extraction solvent, the volume ratio of the extraction solvent to the water sample, the number of extraction cycles, the addition of NaCl, and pH values were evaluated. The recoveries were 72.65-100.13% with a relative standard deviation of 0.92% to 5.99%. The limits of quantification varied from 0.65 ng mL^-1 to 1.83 ng mL^-1. This approach can be used to determine fungicides in ground, river, and lake water samples.

Assessment of magnetic core-shell mesoporous molecularly imprinted polymers for selective recognition of triazoles residual levels in cucumber

Functional magnetic nanomaterials based on molecular imprinting technique were successfully prepared on the surface of modified Fe₃O₄. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer, and vibrating sample magnetometry were applied for characterization of the synthesized magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) exhibited satisfactory magnetic response, specific recognition, and excellent adsorption capacity toward triazoles (maximum adsorption capacity of 9202.9 μg g^-1 for triadimefon). The obtained MMIPs were further used as magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction (MDSPE) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for detection of 20 triazoles in cucumber spiked at different levels. The mean recoveries were ranged from 79.9% to 110.3% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) were <11.2% (n = 5). Herein, we report a simple, rapid, environmentally friendly, and magnetic stuff recyclable approach for triazoles residual analysis in complicated agricultural products.

One-step ionic liquid-based ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of pyrethroids in traditional Chinese medicine oral liquid preparations

In this study, a simple one-step ionic liquid-based ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction technique was coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of four pyrethroids in three kinds of traditional Chinese medicine oral liquid preparations: simotang oral liquid, kangbingdu oral liquid, and huaji oral liquid. The extraction parameters were examined to improve extraction efficiency. The optimum extraction conditions were 50 μL of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate utilized as the extraction solvent and 800 μL of acetonitrile applied as the dispersive solvent. The extraction was assisted by ultrasonication for 8 min. The limits of detection for the four pyrethroids were within 0.007–0.024 mg L⁻¹, and the limits of quantitation ranged between 0.023 and 0.080 mg L⁻¹. The accuracy of the pyrethroid determination ranged from 80.1 to 106.4%. It was indicated that the proposed ionic liquid-based ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method had an easy operation and was accurate and environmentally friendly. This approach has potential for the analysis of pyrethroids in traditional Chinese medicine oral liquid preparations.

Facile synthesis of magnetic zinc metal-organic framework for extraction of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic fungicides from lettuce vegetable samples

We present a simple method for the fabrication of a magnetic amino-functionalized zinc metal-organic framework based on a magnetic graphene oxide composite. The resultant framework exhibited a porous 3D structure, high surface area and good adsorption properties for nitrogen-containing heterocyclic fungicides. The adsorption process and capacity indicated that the primary adsorption mechanism might be hydrogen bonding and π-π conjugation. In addition, an optimized protocol for magnetic solid phase extraction was developed (such as adsorbent content, pH, and desorption solvent), and utilized for the extraction of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic fungicides from vegetable samples. Quantitation by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry offered a detection limit of 0.21-1.0 μg/L (S/N = 3) with correlation coefficients larger than 0.9975. These results demonstrate that magnetic amino-functionalized zinc metal-organic framewor is a promising adsorbent for the extraction and quantitation of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic fungicides.

Evaporation-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets for the determination of triazole fungicides in water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid, and effective analytical procedure for determining three triazole fungicides (myclobutanil, epoxiconazole, and tebuconazole) in water samples is developed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection after evaporation-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets. The extraction procedure involves the sequential addition of the extraction solvent 1-dodecanol (low density), volatile solvent dichloromethane (high density), and calcium oxide to the aqueous sample (the latter reacting exothermically). The CaO reaction can promote the volatilization of the dichloromethane which disperses the 1-dodecanol as fine droplets in the aqueous sample due to the bubbles generated. Therefore, a dispersive solvent is not required. Then, the floating 1-dodecanol is solidified using an ice bath for easy separation from the sample. The variables (the volumes of extraction and volatile solvents, amounts of calcium oxide and sodium chloride, pH values, and extraction time) in the extraction procedure are further optimized. Under optimized conditions, the linearity ranges are 0.05-5 μg mL^-1 with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The limits of detection and quantification are 0.0051-0.0090 μg mL^-1 and 0.0169-0.0299 μg mL^-1, respectively. The recoveries of myclobutanil, epoxiconazole, and tebuconazole in tap, reservoir, and river water range between 77.6% and 104.4% with relative standard deviations ranging from 0.6% to 7.8%. Hence, the method was reliable for analysis of myclobutanil, epoxiconazole, and tebuconazole in water samples.

Supramolecular Fluorescence Probe Based on Twisted Cucurbit[14]uril for Sensing Fungicide Flusilazole

The host-guest complex of the common dye, thioflavin T (ThT), and twisted cucurbit[14]uril (tQ[14]) was selected as a fluorescent probe to determine non-fluorescent triazole fungicides, including flusilazole, azaconazole, triadimefon, tebuconazole, tricyclazole, flutriafol, penconazole, and triadimenol isomer A, in an aqueous solution. The experimental results reveal that the ThT@tQ[14] probe selectively responded to flusilazole with significant fluorescence quenching and a detection limit of 1.27 × 10^-8 mol/L. In addition, the response mechanism involves not only a cooperation interaction-ThT occupies a side-cavity of the tQ[14] host and the triazole fungicide occupies another side-cavity of the tQ[14] host-but also a competition interaction in which both ThT and the triazole fungicide occupy the side-cavities of the tQ[14] host.

Arsenic speciation analysis in environmental water, sediment and soil samples by magnetic ionic liquid-based air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction

This highly efficient separation method combines the advantages of magnetic ionic liquid (MIL) and air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction (AALLME) for the first time.