Graphene oxide reinforced ionic liquid-functionalized adsorbent for solid-phase extraction of phenolic acids

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Phenolic acids are important compounds with various biological activities.
• Efficient extraction methods are crucial for their analysis in complex matrices.
• Existing methods may lack sensitivity or environmental friendliness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize an environmentally friendly sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) of phenolic acids.
• To evaluate the adsorption performance and extraction efficiency of the developed sorbent.
• To apply the method for the analysis of phenolic acids in real-world samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of polymeric ionic liquids modified graphene oxide-grafted silica (PILs@GO@Sil) via layer-by-layer fabrication.
• Optimization of SPE conditions including pH, elution solvent, and sample volume.
• Analysis of phenolic acids using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Theoretical calculations and adsorption experiments (static, kinetic).

Main Results:

• The PILs@GO@Sil sorbent demonstrated enhanced electrostatic interaction for acidic compounds.
• Optimized conditions yielded wide linear ranges (R² = 0.9912–0.9998) and low limits of detection (0.20–0.50 μgL⁻¹).
• The PILs@GO@Sil-SPE-HPLC method exhibited higher extraction efficiency compared to other reported techniques.
• Good recoveries were achieved when analyzing spiked black wolfberry yogurt and urine samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed PILs@GO@Sil sorbent is an effective and environmentally friendly material for SPE of phenolic acids.
• The PILs@GO@Sil-SPE-HPLC method provides a sensitive and efficient approach for analyzing phenolic acids in complex matrices.
• This method holds promise for routine analysis in food and biological samples.