Development and application of a new solid-phase microextraction fiber by sol-gel technology on titanium wire

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional fused silica solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers have limitations in strength and lifespan.
• Developing robust and efficient extraction materials is crucial for environmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel, durable solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers using a titanium wire substrate.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these new fibers for the headspace SPME (HS-SPME) analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in water samples.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of SPME fibers using a sol-gel technique with titanium isopropoxide precursor and coating with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), poly(ethylenepropyleneglycol)-monobutyl ether (Ucon), or polyethylene glycol (PEG).
• Analysis of BTEX compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
• Optimization of extraction and desorption conditions, including fiber coating type.

Main Results:

• The novel titanium wire-based SPME fibers demonstrated high strength and extended fiber life.
• Optimized HS-SPME method achieved low limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) for BTEX (0.75-10 μg L⁻¹ and 1-20 μg L⁻¹, respectively).
• The method exhibited excellent linearity (correlation coefficient >0.99) over a wide concentration range (10–25,000 μg L⁻¹) with good reproducibility (RSD < 8%).

Conclusions:

• Titanium wire-based SPME fibers prepared via sol-gel are a promising alternative to conventional fused silica fibers.
• The developed HS-SPME-GC-MS method is sensitive, linear, and reproducible for BTEX analysis in water.
• This approach offers enhanced durability and efficiency for the determination of volatile organic compounds.