Extraction and high performance liquid chromatographic determination of 3-indole butyric acid in pea plants by using imidazolium-based ionic liquids as extractant

In this paper, imidazolium-based ionic liquids [C4mim][PF6], [C6mim][PF6], [C8mim][PF6], [C6mim][BF4] and [C8mim][BF4] were tested as extracting solvents for removal of 3-indole butyric acid (IBA) from aqueous media with subsequent determination using HPLC. Percent extraction of IBA was strongly affected by pH of aqueous phases and the chemical structures of ionic liquids (ILs). Extraction of IBA was quantitative in the pH values lower than pKa of IBA. Considering both extraction and stripping efficiencies of IBA, [C4mim][PF6] was found to act more efficient than other studied ILs. Capacity of [C4mim][PF6] was 17.6 × 10−4 mmol IBA per 1.0 mL of IL. Ionic strength of aqueous phase and temperature had shown no serious effects on extraction efficiency of IBA. A preconcentration factor of 100 and a relative standard deviation of 1.16% were obtained. It was found that ionic liquid phase was reusable almost five times for extraction/stripping purposes. 3-Indole acetic acid showed interferential effect in the extraction step. In order to assess the applicability of the method, extraction and stripping of IBA from pea plants and some other samples were studied.