Mixed hemimicelle solid-phase extraction based on magnetic halloysite nanotubes and ionic liquids for the determination and extraction of azo dyes in environmental water samples

An effective and greener mixed hemimicelles magnetic solid phase extraction (MHMSPE) based on magnetic halloysite nanotubes (MHNTs) and ionic liquid (IL) is developed for the simultaneous enrichment and determination of anionic azo dyes in a spiked environmental water sample. In this MHMSPE, the formation of C16mimBr with mixed hemimicelles on the surface of MHNTs leads to the retention of analytes by strong hydrophobic, p-p and electrostatic interactions. This MHMSPE technique combines the advantages of MHNTs and mixed hemimicelles. Zeta potential data demonstrated that mixed hemimicelles were formed in [C16mimBr]/[MHNTs] ratios of the range from 0.15 to 1.33. Different important factors affecting the preconcentration of analytes were investigated and optimized by response surface methodology and one variable at a time. Under the optimum conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) for methyl red and methyl orange (MR and MO) were 0.042 and 0.050 μg L−1 in samples, respectively. The accuracy of the method was assessed by recovery measurements on a spiked sample, and good recoveries 85-87% for MR and 89-93% for MO, with preconcentration factors of 481 and 524, respectively. The low relative standard deviations from 1.6-3.1% for tap water and 2.5-5.4% for lake water was achieved. So far as we know, this is the first development of a mixed hemimicelles SPE based on MHNTs and IL for the extraction of trace anionic azo dyes in environment water samples.