Development of novel magnetic solid phase extraction materials based on Fe3O4/SiO2/poly(acrylamide-N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide)-Pluronic L64 composite microspheres and their application to the enrichment of natamycin

• FSP-L64 composite was firstly synthesized as a magnetic adsorbent.
• FSP-L64 composite was successfully applied to the magnetic solid phase extraction of natamycin.
• Various preconcentration conditions were optimized.
• The MSPE-HPLC method was used to the determination of natamycin in jam samples.

Novel magnetic adsorbents based on Fe3O4/SiO2/poly(acrylamide-N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide) magnetic microspheres modified with non-ionic triblock copolymer surfactant were successfully prepared as a magnetic solid phase extraction adsorbent for the determination of trace natamycin in jam samples. The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and X-ray diffractometer analysis, confirming that Pluronic L64 was effectively functionalized on the magnetic materials. Various experimental parameters affecting the extraction capacity were investigated including adsorbent amount, extraction time, desorption time, sample pH, and ionic strength. For recovery evaluations, the jam samples were spiked at two concentration levels of 100 and 200 μg kg−1 of natamycin and the recovery values were in the range of 78.8–93.4%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) for the recoveries were less than 3.5%. The novel magnetic solid phase extraction method provided several advantages, such as simplicity, low environmental impact, convenient extraction procedure, and short analysis time when used for natamycin analysis.