Determination of 2,4,6-tricholoroanisole in water and wine samples by ionic liquid-based single-drop microextraction and ion mobility spectrometry

This article presents for the first time the joint use of ionic liquid-based single drop microextraction (IL-SDME) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) for the determination of 2,4,6-trichloroanisol (2,4,6-TCA) in water and wine samples. An imidazolium-based IL was used as extractant taking into account both, its affinity for the analyte and its negligible response in the detector. Water samples were directly analyzed by IL-SDME while wines required a previous solid phase extraction step to remove the interference of ethanol in the ion mobility spectra. All the parameters affecting the extraction were optimized in order to achieve the highest sensitivity, taking into account the lower concentrations reported for this compound in the matrices selected. Moreover, the use of ion mobility working under the negative ionization mode confers an adequate selectivity. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.2 and 0.66 ng L−1, respectively. The precision of the method calculated at 10 ng L−1 was 1.4% (repeatability, n = 5) and 2.2% (reproducibility, n = 5, 3 days). The analysis of water and wine samples reported the presence of 2,4,6-TCA in wine samples commercialized in bottles with cork stoppers.

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► Ionic liquid-based single drop microextraction is proposed for the determination of 2,4,6-trichloroanisol.
► The imidazolium-based ionic liquid presents high affinity for the analyte and negligible response in the detector.
► The use of ion mobility spectrometry working under the negative ionization mode confers an adequate selectivity.
► It has been applied to the analysis of water and wine samples.