Optimisation of a microwave-assisted extraction method for the simultaneous determination of haloanisoles and halophenols in cork stoppers

This study presents a method based on the use of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for the quantitative analysis of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), 2,3,4,6-tetrachloroanisole (TeCA), pentachloroanisole (PCA), 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (TeCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) in cork stoppers. The influential parameters of the MAE procedure (extraction time, temperature and solvent volume) were optimised using a central composite experimental design combined with desirability functions. The optimal conditions identified were temperature 170 °C, solvent volume 35 mL and extraction time 90 min. MAE extracts were concentrated and derivatised prior to separation and quantification by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. To evaluate the applicability of the proposed MAE method, recovery results were compared with those obtained with the Soxhlet extraction method; the results were similar with both extraction methods. The new method was also satisfactorily applied to real cork stopper samples.