María Asensio-Ramos

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.

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.

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.

Simultaneous determination of seven pesticides in waters using multi-walled carbon nanotube SPE and NACE

In this work, NACE with UV detection is combined with SPE using multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as stationary phase to determine a group of seven pesticides (pirimicarb, pyrifenox, penconazol, carbendazim, cyromazine, pyrimethanil and cyprodinil) in mineral water samples using ametryn as internal standard. The optimized BGE, consisting of a mixture of MeOH and ACN (1:2 v/v) with 90 mM SDS and 20.5 mM HClO4, was satisfactory to get a good resolution of the seven compounds in less than 13 min. On‐line preconcentration was carried out by electrokinetic injection of the sample dissolved in 78:22 v/v MeOH/ACN, 1.11 mM HClO4. Repeatability was studied for the same day (n=4), for nine different days (n=36) and for four different capillaries. RSD values were appropriate in all cases, i.e. in the range 4.3–9.4% between different capillaries. MWCNT of 10–15 nm od, 2–6 nm id and 0.1–10 μm length were used as SPE materials for the preconcentration of these pesticides from water samples. SPE parameters influencing the enrichment were optimized and the most favorable conditions were as follows: the amount of stationary phase, eluent, sample pH and sample volume were 40 mg MWCNT, 10 mL ACN and 10 mL dichloromethane containing 5% v/v formic acid, pH 8.0, and 750 mL, respectively. Mean recovery values ranged between 53 and 94% for Milli‐Q water and between 47 and 93% for mineral waters (RSD values were in the range 2–16%). The method allowed the determination of these pesticides at concentrations below the maximum residue limits established by the European Union legislation (LOD in the range 27–58 ng/L). When the cost, amount and type of the carbon nanotubes used in this work are compared with those carbon nanotubes previously used in the literature it is clear that the proposed materials can be used as economical stationary phases, even cheaper than conventional SPE cartridges.

Hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction for the determination of natural and synthetic estrogens in milk samples

In this work, a group of nine estrogens, four of them being natural (estriol, 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol and estrone), four being synthetic (17α-ethynylestradiol, diethylstibestrol, dienestrol and hexestrol) and one metabolite (2-hydroxyestradiol) have been extracted and preconcentrated from milk samples with different fat content (whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed). After protein precipitation with acetonitrile containing acetic acid, evaporation of the supernatant and reconstitution of the residue in water, hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME) using 1-octanol as extraction solvent was applied to further preconcentrate the analytes. Separation, determination and quantification were achieved by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and a fluorescence detector set in series. Deproteinization conditions, as well as parameters affecting the extraction efficiency in HF-LPME (pH of the sample, ionic strength, extraction time, stirring speed, temperature and desorption conditions) were investigated and optimized. Calibration, precision and accuracy studies were carried out to validate the methodology in different types of milk providing LODs in the low μg/L range.

Estrogenic compounds determination in water samples by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and micellar electrokinetic chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry ☆

In this work, a group of 12 estrogenic compounds, i.e., four natural sexual hormones (estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol and estriol), an exoestrogen (17α-ethynylestradiol), a synthetic stilbene (dienestrol), a mycotoxin (zearalenone) and some of their major metabolites (2-methoxyestradiol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol, α-zearalenol and β-zearalenol) have been separated and determined by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) coupled to electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry. For this purpose, a background electrolyte containing an aqueous solution of 45 mM of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) adjusted to pH 9.0 with an ammonia solution, as MS friendly surfactant, and methanol (10% (v/v)), as organic modifier, was used. To further increase the sensitivity, normal stacking mode was applied by injecting the sample dissolved in an aqueous solution of 11.5mM of ammonium PFO (APFO) at pH 9.0 containing 10% (v/v) of methanol for 25s. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, using 110 μL of chloroform and 500 μL of acetonitrile as extraction and dispersion solvents, respectively, was employed to extract and preconcentrate the target analytes from different types of environmental water samples (mineral, run-off and wastewater) containing 30% (w/v) NaCl and adjusted to pH 3.0 with 1M HCl. The limits of detection achieved were in the range 0.04-1.10 μg/L. The whole method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, recovery and matrix effect for each type of water, showing determination coefficients higher than 0.992 for matrix-matched calibration and absolute recoveries in the range 43-91%.

Recent food safety and food quality applications of CE-MS.

The first on‐line coupling of CE with MS detection more than 20 years ago provided a very powerful technique with a wide variety of applications, among which food analysis is of special interest, especially that dealing with food safety and food quality applications, the major topics of public interest nowadays. With this review article, we would like to show the most recent applications of CE‐MS in both fields by recompiling and commenting articles published between January 2004 and October 2008. Although both applications are difficult to separate from each other, we have included in this work two main sections dealing with each specific field. Future trends will also be discussed.

Determination of estrogens in environmental water samples using 1,3‐dipentylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid as extraction solvent in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction

In this work, the potential of a symmetric dialkyl‐substituted ionic liquid (IL), 1,3‐dipenthylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([PPIm][PF6]), as extraction solvent in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) has been studied for the analysis of a group of three natural (estriol, 17β‐estradiol, and 17α‐estradiol) and four synthetic (17α‐ethynylestradiol, diethylstibestrol, dienestrol, and hexestrol) estrogenic compounds as well as one mycotoxin with estrogenic activity (zearalenone) in different types of water samples (Milli‐Q, mineral, and wastewater). Separation, determination, and quantification were developed by HPLC‐DAD and a fluorescence detector (FD) connected in series. Factors influencing the IL‐DLLME procedure (sample pH, amount of IL, type and volume of disperser solvent, ionic strength, and assistance of vortex agitation) were investigated and optimized by means of a step‐by‐step approach. Once the optimum extraction conditions were established (10 mL of water at pH 8, 60 mg of [PPIm][PF6], 500 μL of ACN as disperser solvent and vortex agitation for 1 min), the calibration curves of the whole method (IL‐DLLME‐HPLC‐DAD/FD) were obtained and precision and accuracy were evaluated. It was demonstrated that the developed methodology was repeatable, accurate, and selective with limits of detection in the 0.30–0.57 μg/L and 13.8–37.1 μg/L range for FD and DAD, respectively. Relative recovery values were higher than 85% for the different types of water samples and the Students t test demonstrated that there were not significant differences between the added and the found concentration.