Membrane-assisted liquid–liquid extraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for determination of selected polycyclic musk compounds and drugs in water samples

Selected polycyclic musk compounds and drugs were extracted from water samples by membrane-assisted micro liquid–liquid extraction. The two-phase extraction system consisted of polyethylene membrane bags filled with an organic solvent. Chloroform proved to be most suited as acceptor phase to extract caffeine, Galaxolide, Tonalide, phenazone and carbamazepine from aqueous samples. The compounds were enriched from 50 mL sample into a volume of 500 μL of chloroform. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was applied for analysis. The extraction procedure was optimised in regard to membrane material, extraction time and temperature. The evaluation of the entire analysis protocol found limits of detection that ranged from 20 to 200 ng/L. The linear range of calibration covered one magnitude with standard deviations between 4 and 12%. Method comparison with standard analysis techniques such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with GC–MS as well as LC–MS–MS confirmed this method as an easy and reliable protocol, even for the monitoring of matrix-loaded wastewater. The analysis of real samples established the feasibility of the technique.