Solid-phase microextraction of phthalate esters in water sample using different activated carbon-polymer monoliths as...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Phthalate esters (PAEs) are common environmental contaminants.
• Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a widely used technique for analyzing PAEs.
• Developing efficient adsorbents for SPME is crucial for accurate PAE detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the application of activated carbon-polymer (AC-polymer) monoliths for SPME of PAEs.
• To evaluate the performance of AC-polymer monoliths compared to native polymers.
• To optimize the AC-polymer monolith for PAE extraction and analysis.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of AC-polymer monoliths using poly(BMA-EDMA) and poly(STY-DVB) with embedded activated carbon (AC).
• Microwave-assisted and water bath polymerization methods were employed.
• Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique was used for PAE analysis in water samples.

Main Results:

• AC-polymer monoliths, particularly AC-poly(STY-DVB), significantly enhanced adsorption and desorption of PAEs compared to native polymers.
• Extraction recoveries for PAEs using AC-poly(STY-DVB) ranged from 76.2% to 99.3%.
• The developed monolithic column exhibited good reproducibility (RSDs < 6.2%) and mechanical stability, allowing over 30 reuses.

Conclusions:

• AC-poly(STY-DVB) monolithic columns are effective adsorbents for SPME of PAEs in water samples.
• The developed method offers high extraction recoveries and reusability, making it suitable for environmental monitoring.
• This study provides a robust and efficient approach for the analysis of phthalate esters.