Application of solid-phase microextraction for the analysis of nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water

Summarization: The present work investigates the applicability of solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry for the determination of trace amounts of nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples. The main parameters affecting solid-phase microextraction (sampling mode, fibre type, sampling time, agitation rate and ionic strength of the aqueous solution) were controlled and the optimal experimental conditions found were: 65-µm polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene fibre immersed for 45 min to 5 mL spiked water samples, stirred at 1250 rpm. The developed solid-phase microextraction method was found to be linear in the concentration range 0.1 to 10 µg L−1, with the detection limits ranging between 0.004 and 0.060 µg L−1 (under the selective ion monitoring mode) and the repeatability varying between 1.7 and 5.9% (n=5). Analysis of spiked tap and well water samples revealed that matrix had little effect on extraction. Overall, it was found that solid-phase microextraction is suitable for the trace analysis of nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples.Presented on: Chromatographi