Javier Hernández-Borges

Carbon nanotubes: Solid-phase extraction

Since the first report in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great possibilities for a wide variety of processes and applications, which include their use as electrodes, sensors (gas, enzymatic, etc.), nanoprobes, electronic materials, field emitters, etc. The combination of structures, dimensions and topologies has provided physical and chemical attractive properties that are unparalleled by most known materials. Their applications have also reached the Analytical Chemistry field in which CNTs are being used as matrices in matrix assisted laser desorption ionization, stationary phases in either gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography or capillary electrochromatography, also as pseudostationary phases in capillary electrophoresis, etc. as well as new solid-phase extraction (SPE) materials. Concerning this last application the number of works has considerably increased in the last five years. This review article pretends to focus on the most important features and different applications of SPE using CNTs (including matrix solid-phase dispersion and solid-phase microextraction) covering articles published since their introduction up to now (September 2009).

Carbon nanotubes applications in separation science: a review.

Due to the intensive and multidisciplinary research carried out during the last two decades on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the scientific community understands nowadays much better the chemistry, structure and properties of these interesting materials. In fact, they have found their particular place in a wide number of application fields (nanotechnology, electronics, optics, medicine, etc.) among which Analytical Chemistry is becoming more and more important. The aim of this review is to provide an updated report of the most recent manuscripts (years 2009-2011) regarding the use of CNTs in Separation Science. In particular, the use of CNTs as solid-phase extraction and microextraction sorbents, as part of membranes as well as their use in chromatography and electrophoresis will be discussed and commented. Besides, although not as fully related to Separation Science as the previous techniques, the use of CNTs as laser desorption/ionization substrates has also been considered because of its importance in the field.

Ionic liquid based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the extraction of pesticides from bananas

This paper describes a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) procedure using room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection capable of quantifying trace amounts of eight pesticides (i.e. thiophanate-methyl, carbofuran, carbaryl, tebuconazole, iprodione, oxyfluorfen, hexythiazox and fenazaquin) in bananas. Fruit samples were first homogenized and extracted (1g) with acetonitrile and after suitable evaporation and reconstitution of the extract in 10 mL of water, a DLLME procedure using 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C(6)MIM][PF(6)]) as extraction solvent was used. Experimental conditions affecting the DLLME procedure (sample pH, sodium chloride percentage, ionic liquid amount and volume of disperser solvent) were optimized by means of an experimental design. In order to determine the presence of a matrix effect, calibration curves for standards and fortified banana extracts (matrix matched calibration) were studied. Mean recovery values of the extraction of the pesticides from banana samples were in the range of 69-97% (except for thiophanate-methyl and carbofuran, which were 53-63%) with a relative standard deviation lower than 8.7% in all cases. Limits of detection achieved (0.320-4.66 microg/kg) were below the harmonized maximum residue limits established by the European Union (EU). The proposed method, was also applied to the analysis of this group of pesticides in nine banana samples taken from the local markets of the Canary Islands (Spain). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of RTILs as extraction solvents for DLLME of pesticides from samples different than water.

Liquid phase microextraction applications in food analysis

Over the last years, liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) in its different application modes (single drop microextraction, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and hollow fiber-LPME) has been increasingly applied for the extraction of both inorganic and organic analytes from different matrices. Its advantages over conventional extraction procedures (simplicity, effectiveness, rapidity and low consumption of organic solvents) has also attracted its application in the complex food analysis field, in which it has clearly provided good and challenging results. A comprehensive review dealing with those articles published since its introduction till the end of March 2011 is presented, offering also a critical vision of the analytical potential of LPME for the analysis of foods.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes as efficient solid-phase extraction materials of organophosphorus pesticides from apple, grape, orange and pineapple fruit juices

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been used for the first time as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for the extraction of eight organophosphorus pesticides (i.e. ethoprophos, diazinon, chlorpyriphos-methyl, fenitrothion, malathion, chlorpyriphos, fenamiphos and buprofezin) from different commercial fruit juices (i.e. apple, grape, orange and pineapple). The developed method, which involves SPE and direct gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection analysis, is very fast, simple and cheap: only 1:1 dilution with Milli-Q water and pH adjustment to 6.0 of 10 mL of juice is necessary prior to a quick MWCNTs-SPE procedure that used only 40 mg of stationary phase (MWCNTs of 10-15 nm o.d., 2-6 nm i.d. and 0.1-10 microm length). Mean recovery values were above 73% for all the pesticides and fruit juices (between 77 and 101% for apple juice, 75 and 103% for grape juice, 73 and 103% for orange juice and 73 and 93% for pineapple juice) with a relative standard deviation (RSD) lower than 8.5% in all cases. Matrix matched calibration was carried out for each sample matrix since statistical differences between the calibration curves constructed is pure solvent and in the reconstructed juice extracts were found. Limits of detection ranged between 1.85 and 7.32 microg/L (which also represents LODs between 1.85 and 7.34 microg/kg) well below the European Union maximum residue limits for the raw fruits. The proposed method, which is demonstrated to be quick, cheap, accurate and highly selective, was also applied to the analysis of this group of pesticides in several commercial juices in which none of the selected pesticides were found.

Ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the simultaneous determination of pesticides and metabolites in soils using high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection.

In this work, an ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) procedure was developed for the extraction of a group of pesticides (carbendazim/benomyl, thiabendazole, fuberidazole, carbaryl and triazophos) and some of their key metabolites in soils (2-aminobenzimidazole, metabolite of carbendazim and 1-naphthol, metabolite of carbaryl) from aqueous soil extracts, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FD). Analytes were previously extracted from four soils with different physicochemical properties (forestal, ornamental, garden and lapilli soils) by ultrasound-assisted extraction (USE). The IL 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([HMIm][PF(6)]) and methanol (MeOH) were used as extraction and dispersion solvent, respectively, for the DLLME procedure. Factors affecting IL-DLLME (sample pH, IL amount, volume of dispersion solvent and sodium chloride percentage) were optimized by means of an experimental design, obtaining the most favorable results when using 117.5 mg of IL and 418 μL of MeOH to extract the compounds from the aqueous soil extracts at pH 5.20 containing 30% (w/v) NaCl. Calibration of the USE-IL-DLLME-HPLC-FD method was carried out for every type of soil and accuracy and precision studies were developed at two levels of concentration, finding that no significant differences existed between real and spiked concentrations (Students t test). LODs achieved were in the low ng/g range.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous determination of 25 sulfonamide and quinolone antibiotics in water samples.

In this work, a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) procedure combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection was developed to determine 25 antibiotics in mineral and run-off waters. Optimum DLLME conditions (5 mL of water at pH=7.6, 20% (w/v) NaCl, 685 μL of CHCl₃ as extractant solvent, and 1250 μL of ACN as disperser solvent) allowed the repeatable, accurate and selective determination of 11 sulfonamides (sulfanilamide, sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfadimidin, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfadoxine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfisoxazole, sulfadimethoxine and sulfaquinoxaline) and 14 quinolones (pipemidic acid, marbofloxacin, fleroxacin, levofloxacin, pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, sarafloxacin, difloxacin, moxifloxacin, oxolinic acid and flumequine). The method was validated by means of the obtention of calibration curves of the whole method as well as a recovery study at two levels of concentration. The LODs of the method were in the range 0.35-10.5 μg/L with recoveries between 78% and 117%.

Oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the dispersive solid-phase extraction of quinolone antibiotics from water samples using capillary electrophoresis and large volume sample stacking with polarity switching

In this work, a new method for the determination of eleven quinolone antibiotics (moxifloxacin, lomefloxacin, danofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, marbofloxacin, enrofloxacin, difloxacin, pefloxacin, oxolinic acid and flumequine) in different water samples using dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) and capillary zone electrophoresis with diode-array detection was developed. Oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (o-MWCNTs) were used for the first time as stationary phases for the off-line preconcentration by dSPE of the antibiotics. A 65 mM phosphate buffer at pH 8.5 was found adequate for analyte separation while large volume sample stacking with polarity switching of the analytes dissolved in water containing 10% (v/v) of acetonitrile was carried out in order to improve the sensitivity. dSPE parameters, such as sample volume and pH, o-MWCNT amount, volume and type of eluent in dSPE were optimized. Application of the developed method to the analysis of spiked Milli-Q, mineral, tap, and wastewater samples resulted in good recoveries values ranging from 62.3 to 116% with relative standard deviation values lower than 7.7% in all cases. Limits of detection were in the range of 28-94 ng/L. The proposed method is very fast, simple, repeatable, accurate and highly selective.

Evaluation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase extraction adsorbents of pesticides from agricultural, ornamental and forestal soils

A new, simple and cost-effective method based on the use of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as solid-phase extraction stationary phases is proposed for the determination of a group of seven organophosphorus pesticides (i.e. ethoprophos, diazinon, chlorpyriphos-methyl, fenitrothion, malathion, chlorpyriphos and phosmet) and one thiadiazine (buprofezin) in different kinds of soil samples (forestal, ornamental and agricultural) using gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection. Soils were first ultrasound extracted with 10 mL 1:1 methanol/acetonitrile (v/v) and the evaporated extract redissolved in 20 mL water (pH 6.0) was passed through 100 mg of MWCNTs of 10-15 nm o.d., 2-6 nm i.d. and 0.1-10 microm length. Elution was carried out with 20 mL dichloromethane. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, recovery, accuracy and selectivity. Matrix-matched calibration was carried out for each type of soil since statistical differences between the calibration curves constructed in pure solvent and in the reconstituted soil extract were found for most of the pesticides under study. Recovery values of spiked samples ranged between 54 and 91% for the three types of soils (limits of detection (LODs) between 2.97 and 9.49 ngg(-1)), except for chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl and buprofezin which ranged between 12 and 54% (LODs between 3.14 and 72.4 ngg(-1)), which are the pesticides with the highest soil organic carbon sorption coefficient (K(OC)) values. Using a one-sample test (Students t-test) with fortified samples at two concentration levels in each type of soil, no significant differences were observed between the real and the experimental values (accuracy percentages ranged between 87 and 117%). It is the first time that the adsorptive potential of MWCNTs for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides from soils is investigated.

Food analysis: A continuous challenge for miniaturized separation techniques

One of the current trends of modern analytical chemistry is the miniaturization of the various tools daily used by a large number of researchers. Ultrafast separations, consumption of small amounts of both samples and reagents as well as a high sensitivity and automation are some of the most important goals desired to be achieved. For many years a large number of research laboratories and analytical instrument manufacturing companies have been investing their efforts in this field, which includes miniaturized extraction materials, sample pre-treatment procedures and separation techniques. Among the separation techniques, capillary electromigration methods (which also include CEC), microchip and nano-LC/capillary LC have received special attention. Besides their well-known advantages over other separation tools, the role of these miniaturized techniques in food analysis is still probably in an early stage. In fact, applications in this field carried out by CEC, microchip, nano-LC and capillary LC are only a few when compared with other more established procedures such as conventional GC or HPLC. The scope of this review is to gather and discuss the different applications of such miniaturized techniques in this field. Concerning CE, microchip-CE and CEC works, emphasis has been placed on articles published after January 2007.