Solid-phase microextraction of phthalate esters in water sample using different activated carbon-polymer monoliths as adsorbents

• Published in: Analytica chimica acta 2016-07, Vol.927, p.55-63
• Main Authors: Lirio, Stephen, Fu, Chung-Wei, Lin, Jhih-Yun, Hsu, Meng-Ju, Huang, Hsi-Ya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorbents; Adsorption; Esters; Extraction; Hydrogen bonding; Phthalate ester; Phthalates; Poly(styrene-divinylbenzene); Polymer monolith; Polystyrene resins; Solid-phase microextraction
• ISSN: 0003-2670; 1873-4324
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.05.006

In this study, the application of different activated carbon-polymer (AC-polymer) monoliths as adsorbents for the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) of phthalate esters (PAEs) in water sample were investigated. The activated carbon (AC) was embedded in organic polymers, poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (poly(BMA-EDMA)) or poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) (poly(STY-DVB)), via a 5-min microwave-assisted or a 15-min water bath heating polymerization. Preliminary investigation on the performance of the native poly(BMA-EDMA) and poly(STY-DVB) demonstrated remarkable adsorption efficiencies for PAEs. However, due to the strong hydrophobic, π-π, and hydrogen bonding interactions between the analytes and polymers, low extraction recoveries were achieved. In contrast, the presence of AC in native polymers not only enhanced the adsorption efficiencies but also assisted the PAE desorption, especially for AC-poly(STY-DVB) with extraction recovery ranged of 76.2–99.3%. Under the optimized conditions, the extraction recoveries for intra-, inter-day and column-to-column were in the range of 76.5–100.8% (