Membrane protected multi-template molecularly imprinted polymer based micro-solid phase extraction coupled with high...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Chlorophenols (CPs) are common pollutants in leather processing, posing environmental and health risks.
• Accurate determination of CPs in complex matrices like leather is challenging due to matrix effects and low concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and selective method for simultaneous extraction and determination of five typical CPs in leather matrices.
• To create a micro-solid phase extraction (μ-SPE) device using multi-template molecularly imprinted materials (mt-MIPs) for efficient CP analysis.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of mt-MIPs using mesoporous silica-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs@mSi) as supporting materials.
• Fabrication of a μ-SPE device by sealing mt-MIPs into a porous nylon membrane.
• Optimization of μ-SPE parameters and coupling with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for CP analysis.

Main Results:

• The mt-MIPs exhibited high adsorption capacity (39.15–71.43 mg g⁻¹) and rapid mass transfer (within 30 min).
• The developed mt-MIPs-μ-SPE-HPLC method showed good linearity (2.0–200 µg L⁻¹), high sensitivity (LODs 0.17–0.52 µg L⁻¹), and a high enrichment factor (70.6–144).
• Successful application to tannery wastewater, finished leather, and wet blue samples with acceptable recoveries (73.00%–115.2%) and low RSDs (0.28%–11.4%).

Conclusions:

• The developed mt-MIPs-μ-SPE-HPLC method is effective for simultaneous extraction and quantification of trace CPs in complex leather matrices.
• The method demonstrates high selectivity, sensitivity, and robustness, making it suitable for routine analysis.
• This approach offers a viable solution for monitoring CPs in the leather industry to ensure environmental and product safety.