Microvolume trace environmental analysis using peak-focusing online solid-phase extraction-nano-liquid...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Micropollutant analysis in environmental matrices often requires large sample volumes.
• Developing sensitive and efficient analytical methods is crucial for environmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an online solid-phase extraction coupled with nano-liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (nano-LC-HRMS) method.
• To analyze micropollutants in environmental samples using minimal sample volumes.

Main Methods:

• Online solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC).
• High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for sensitive detection and quantification.
• Method validation in surface water, Microcystis aeruginosa cell lysate, and growth medium.

Main Results:

• Achieved quantification limits of 0.1-28 ng/L in surface water and 0.1-32 ng/L in growth medium from 88 μL of sample.
• Quantification limits in cell lysate ranged from 0.1-143 ng/L or 0.33-476 ng/g dry weight.
• Method demonstrated comparable sensitivity to established SPE-LC-MS techniques but with significantly reduced sample consumption.

Conclusions:

• The developed nano-LC-HRMS method offers a highly sensitive and efficient approach for micropollutant analysis in environmental samples.
• This technique is suitable for analyzing small sample volumes, including biological matrices like Microcystis aeruginosa.
• The study highlights the utility of nano-LC-MS for environmental analysis and bioconcentration studies.