Agar films containing silver nanoparticles as new supports for electromembrane extraction

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2015-02, Vol.407 (5), p.1519-1525
• Main Authors: Hidalgo, Cristina Román, Ramos-Payán, María, Ocaña-González, Juan Antonio, Martín-Valero, María Jesús, Bello-López, Miguel Ángel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agar; Agar - chemistry; Analytical Chemistry; Anti-inflammatory agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - isolation & purification; Atomic force microscopy; Biochemistry; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Drugs; Ethers; Extraction; Extraction (Chemistry); Food Science; Laboratory Medicine; Liquid membranes; Membranes; Membranes, Artificial; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Methods; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Polypropylenes; Silver; Silver - chemistry; Solid Phase Extraction - instrumentation; Solid Phase Extraction - methods; Transmission electron microscopy
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-014-8375-6

A new support containing silver nanoparticles to assist electromembrane extraction (EME) procedures is proposed. For the first time, synthesized agar films containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used as a support for liquid membranes in EME. Agarose films of 20 μm thickness containing 107.9 mg Ag/g agar were synthesized and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing isolated spherical silver nanoparticles of 20–30 nm diameter with homogeneous distribution. Nanometallic films were cut and glued to narrow bore glass tubes and used as supports for a dihexyl ether liquid membrane for use in an EME procedure. EME conditions were optimized and applied to the extraction of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The results were compared to those using polypropylene membranes (450 μm and 100 μm thickness), achieving 10- to 70-fold higher extraction efficiency. This article opens a new line of research into electrically assisted microextraction systems by combining other possible kinds of nanometallic films, including different metals, film functionalization through metallic NPs, and the use of low polarity solvents. Also, very low currents are obtained during the extraction process, which lead to high electromigration of the analytes. Graphical Abstract Agar films-silver nanoparticles for electromembrane extraction