Robotic-assisted dynamic large drop microextraction.

By proper design of an innovative extraction device, a lab-made multipurpose autosampler was exploited in the automated performance of the dynamic large drops based microextraction. The pluses of this new analytical strategy were demonstrated in the determination of sulfonamides and fluoroquinolones in surface water samples, by direct immersion single drop microextraction (SDME) and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Operational autosampler features and critical experimental factors influencing SDME, including the extraction mode (static or dynamic), extraction, stirring rate, salt addition, drop size, number of cycles and drop exposition time, were comprehensively investigated using both univariate and multivariate optimization. The lab-made autosampler allowed to performance challenging dynamic and static large drop based SDMEs in an automated and effortless way and with minimal requirements of hardware and software. Large stable drops provided high surface area, enhancing the phase ratio and in consequence increasing the analytes uptake. The best extraction efficiencies were obtained as a result of the synergic interaction between the use of large drops and the automated dynamic mode of extraction. The developed method proved to be a reliable, sensitive, and robust analytical tool, with intraday RSDs ranging between 4.0 and 7.6% (n = 6), and interday RSDs between 4.8 and 9.3% (n = 6), and, LOD and LOQ in the range of 15-50 and 35-100 ng L-1, respectively.

Microwave-assisted activated carbon from cocoa shell as adsorbent for removal of sodium diclofenac and nimesulide from aqueous effluents.

Microwave-induced chemical activation process was used to prepare an activated carbon from cocoa shell for efficient removal of two anti-inflammatories, sodium diclofenac (DFC) and nimesulide (NM), from aqueous solutions. A paste was obtained from a mixture of cocoa shell and inorganic components; with a ratio of inorganic: organic of 1 (CSC-1.0). The mixture was pyrolyzed in a microwave oven in less than 10 min. The CSC-1.0 was acidified with a 6 mol L(-1) HCl under reflux to produce MWCS-1.0. The CSC-1.0 and MWCS-1.0 were characterized using FTIR, SEM, N2 adsorption/desorption curves, X-ray diffraction, and point of zero charge (pHpzc). Experimental variables such as initial pH of the adsorbate solutions and contact time were optimized for adsorptive characteristics of MWCS-1.0. The optimum pH for removal of anti-inflammatories ranged between 7.0 and 8.0. The kinetic of adsorption was investigated using general order, pseudo first-order and pseu do-second order kinetic models. The maximum amounts of DCF and NM adsorbed onto MWCS-1.0 at 25 °C are 63.47 and 74.81 mg g(-1), respectively. The adsorbent was tested on two simulated hospital effluents. MWCS-1.0 is capable of efficient removal of DCF and NM from a medium that contains high sugar and salt concentrations.

On-line hyphenation of solid-phase extraction to chromatographic separation of sulfonamides with fused-core columns in sequential injection chromatography.

On-line sample pretreatment (clean-up and analyte preconcentration) is for the first time coupled to sequential injection chromatography. The approach combines anion-exchange solid-phase extraction and the highly effective pentafluorophenylpropyl (F5) fused-core particle column for separation of eight sulfonamide antibiotics with similar structures (sulfathiazole, sulfanilamide, sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, sulfadimidine, sulfamethoxazole and sulfadimethoxine). The stationary phase was selected after a critical comparison of the performance achieved by three fused-core reversed phase columns (Ascentis(®) Express RP-Amide, Phenyl-Hexyl, and F5) and two monolithic columns (Chromolith(®) High Resolution RP-18 and CN). Acetonitrile and acetate buffer pH 5.0 at 0.60 mL min(-1) were used as mobile phase to perform the separations before spectrophotometric detection. The first mobile phase was successfully used as eluent from SPE column ensuring transfer of a narrow zone to the chromatographic column. Enrichment factors up to 39.2 were achieved with a 500 µL sample volume. The developed procedure showed analysis time <10.5 min, resolutions >1.83 with peak symmetry ≤1.52, LODs between 4.9 and 27 µg L(-1), linear response ranges from 30.0 to 1000.0 µg L(-1) (r(2)>0.996) and RSDs of peak heights <2.9% (n=6) at a 100 µg L(-1) level and enabled the screening control of freshwater samples contaminated at the 100 µg L(-1) level. The proposed approach expanded the analytical potentiality of SIC and avoided the time-consuming batch sample pretreatment step, thus minimizing risks of sample contamination and analyte losses.

Determination of rosuvastatin in urine by spectrofluorimetry after liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization in acidic medium.

Statins are a class of drugs mostly used for treating hyperlipidemia, and rosuvastatin is the newest drug in the market belonging to this class. In this present work, a method was developed based on the molecular fluorescence technique, with the objective to quantify rosuvastatin in urine samples. For this purpose, the study of several parameters was made to achieve the maximum analytical signal (under reaction with sulfuric acid during 40 min). Also, a previous step to avoid matrix interference was carried out (liquid-liquid extraction). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.38 and 1.28 mg L(-1), respectively. Linear relationship between rosuvastatin concentration and it's fluorescence intensity was found until 5.0 mg L(-1). The proposed method was tested in several samples spiked with rosuvastatin and recovery was found in the range of 90 ± 10%.

A simple and fast method for chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron methyl determination in water samples using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and capillary electrophoresis.

A new method to determine metsulfuron methyl (MSM) and chlorsulfuron (CS) in different water samples was developed. It consists in a solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as sorbent material in combination with capillary zone electrophoretic determination. To carry out the pre-concentration step, a simple flow injection system was developed and optimized. Thus, 250 µL of aqueous solution containing methanol 50% (v/v) and acetonitrile 2% (v/v) as eluent, 10 mL of sample and a flow rate of 1.15 mL min(-1) were selected. The CE variables also were optimized. A rapid determination and good resolution of two herbicides were obtained within 9 min using a simple electrophoretic buffer (50 mmol L(-1) sodium tetraborate with 3% of methanol, pH=9.0). Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curves were linear between 0.5 and 6 µg L(-1) for MSM and CS with R(2)=0.995 and 0.997, respectively. The repeatability of the proposed method, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), varied between 4.1% and 5.4% (n=10) and the detection limits for MSM and CS were 0.40 and 0.36 µg L(-1), respectively. Good results were achieved when the proposed method was applied to spiked real water samples. The recoveries percentages of the two analytes were over the range 86-108%.