Raquel Gomes da Costa Silva

New sorbents for extraction and microextraction techniques

This review outlines recent progress in the research on some new classes of sorbents for extraction and microextraction techniques. Carbon nanotubes are allotropes of carbon with cylindrical structure. They are very stable systems having considerable chemical inertness due to the strong covalent bonds of the carbon atoms on the nanotube surface. Some applications of carbon nanotubes are presented in a perspective view. Molecular imprinting has proved to be an effective technique for the creation of recognition sites on a polymer scaffold. By a mechanism of molecular recognition, the molecularly imprinted polymers are used as selective tools for the development of various analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography, capillary electrochromatography, solid-phase extraction (SPE), binding assays and biosensors. Sol-gel chemistry provides a convenient pathway to create advanced material systems that can be effectively utilized to solve the solid phase microextraction fiber technology problems. This review is mainly focused on recent advanced developments in the design, synthesis and application of sol-gel in preparation of coatings for the SPME fibers.

Molecularly imprinted sol-gel silica for solid phase extraction of phenobarbital

A molecularly imprinted organically modified silica was prepared through a simple sol-gel procedure, and evaluated as specific sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) of phenobarbital from aqueous and forensic samples. The analytical properties of the molecularly imprinted silica (MIS, non-imprinted silica) were initially evaluated and the MIS was found to be specific towards the target species: the imprinting factor IF, measured as the ratio between phenobarbital peak areas in the MIS and NIS chromatograms, was estimated as 58. This value is considerably higher than those usually found for conventional methacrylate-based molecularly imprinted sorbents and suggests that non-specific analyte/sorbent interactions are insignificant in the MIS. This material is applied to the isolation of phenobarbital from aqueous samples and plasma; detection limit of 10 and 62 µg mL-1 was achieved for the former samples, respectively.

New Silica Gel-Based Monolithic Column for Nano-Liquid Chromatography, used in the HILIC Mode

This paper describes the synthesis and chromatographic and morphologic characterization of two monolithic silica nano-columns (50 µm i.d.) prepared by sol-gel processes, using hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) mode separations to evaluate their performance. Two types of monoliths were prepared by varying the precursors (tetraethoxysilane or a tetraethoxysilane-methyltrimethoxysilane mixture) and by changing the type of catalyst (urea and acetic acid or ammonium hydroxide). The monoliths were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The columns were tested for the separation of several mixtures, with the organically modified silica (ormosil) column successfully separating two challenging mixtures using HILIC conditions.

Cromatografia líquida capilar: estado da arte e aplicações

This review describes the advantages and disadvantages of using capillary liquid chromatography (CLC), which is considered the newest member in the analytical separation science arsenal. Although CLC has tremendous potential for being the next major innovation in separatory analysis, it has not yet obtained great popularity compared to conventional high performance (and ultra-high performance) liquid chromatography. Comparisons are made between these techniques and some of the reasons that CLC has not yet reached its potential will be advanced.