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Ionic liquid-based dispersive microextraction of nitrotoluenes in water samples

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Microchimica Acta Aims and scope

Abstract

We describe a method for dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of nitrotoluene-based compounds. This method is based on use of the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-hexyl-4-methylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide as the accepting phase, and is shown to work well for extraction of 4-nitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Separation and subsequent detection of analytes were accomplished via HPLC with UV detection. Several parameters that influence the efficiency of the extraction were optimized using experimental design. In this regard, a Plackett–Burman design was used for initial screening, followed by a central composite design to further optimize the influencing variables. For a 5-mL water sample, the optimized IL-DLLME procedure requires 26 mg of the RTIL as extraction solvent and 680 μL of methanol as the dispersant. Under optimum conditions, limits of detection (LODs) are lower than 1.05 μg L−1. Relative standard deviations for 6 replicate determinations at a 4 μg L−1 analyte level are <4.3 % (calculated using peak areas). Correlation coefficients of >0.998 were achieved. This method was successfully applied to extraction and determination of nitrotoluene-based compounds in spiked tap and lake water samples.

Ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction is presented for determination of nitrotoluenes in water samples using high performance liquid chromatography and UV–vis detection

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers CHE-1243916 and CHE-1307611; and funds from the Philip W. West Endowment to IMW. A Fulbright & Bunge and Born foundation fellowship granted by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, USA, which supported Paula Berton is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Paula Berton, Bishnu P. Regmi, David A. Spivak & Isiah M. Warner

  2. Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Research and Development (QUIANID), Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Padre J. Contreras 1300, Parque Gral, San Martín, M5502JMA, Mendoza, Argentina

    Paula Berton

  3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina

    Paula Berton

  4. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA), CCT Mendoza-CONICET, Z.C. 330, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina

    Paula Berton

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  1. Paula Berton
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  2. Bishnu P. Regmi
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Correspondence to Paula Berton.

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Berton, P., Regmi, B.P., Spivak, D.A. et al. Ionic liquid-based dispersive microextraction of nitrotoluenes in water samples. Microchim Acta 181, 1191–1198 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-014-1261-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-014-1261-2

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