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A Green Approach for Profiling Naphthenic Acids in Produced Water Using Deep Eutectic
William Henrique Slominski1, Allyson Leandro Rodrigues Dos Santos2, Edmar Martendal1
1Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Centro de Ciências Tecnológicas, Departamento de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química Aplicada, Rua Paulo Malschitzki, 200, Joinville 89219-710, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
A new green method using deep eutectic solvents (DES) and thin-film liquid-phase microextraction (TF-LPME) efficiently analyzes naphthenic acids (NAs) in produced water. This sustainable approach offers superior performance for environmental monitoring in the oil industry.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Green Chemistry
Background:
- Produced water (PW) from oil extraction contains complex naphthenic acids (NAs).
- Robust analytical methods are crucial for identifying NAs and reducing environmental impact.
- Existing methods may face challenges with emulsion formation in real samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a green analytical method for profiling and quantifying NAs in PW.
- To optimize a novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) combined with thin-film liquid-phase microextraction (TF-LPME).
- To assess the method's efficiency, sustainability, and applicability for environmental monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Development and optimization of a DES-TF-LPME method.
- Comparison with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME).
- Analysis of 16 NAs in PW samples using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS).
- Method validation including linearity, limits of detection/quantification, recovery, and precision.
Main Results:
- The optimized DES-TF-LPME method demonstrated excellent performance with determination coefficients > 0.99.
- Low detection and quantification limits were achieved, suitable for real-world NA concentrations.
- Average recovery was 87.9%, with good precision (intraday and interday).
- Analysis of PW samples revealed a total NA concentration of 3.19 ± 0.30 mg L⁻¹ and identified 11 homologous series.
Conclusions:
- The developed DES-TF-LPME method is a highly efficient and sustainable alternative for NA analysis in PW.
- It offers superior analytical performance and reduced environmental impact compared to other methods.
- The method is well-suited for routine environmental monitoring in the petroleum industry.
