Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection: A universal tool for the determination of supported liquid membrane selectivity in electromembrane extraction of complex samples

Monitoring the selectivity of supported liquid membranes (SLMs) is of paramount importance since the amount and type of compounds that are transferred across a SLM directly influence the transfer efficiency, reproducibility and accuracy. To apply a correct SLM in particular sample pretreatment, rapid determination of the transfer of analytes and matrix compounds across the SLM is necessary, which requires the use of an analytical method with universal detection technique. Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) has proven to be a useful tool for the determination of SLM selectivity. Background electrolyte solution consisting of 1 M acetic acid (pH 2.4) was used for simultaneous separation and detection of three basic drugs (nortriptyline, haloperidol and loperamide) and major matrix components (inorganic cations, proteins, amino acids, etc.) after electromembrane extraction (EME) of standard solutions and complex samples. The CE-C4D method has evidenced for the first time that large proteins, such as human serum albumin, are efficiently retained on all examined SLMs and that transfer of other matrix components and the analytes is strongly SLM dependent. Excellent transfer of the analytes was achieved across SLMs impregnated with 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) or 1-ethyl-2-nitrobenzene, however, an increased co-extraction of interfering matrix components, which disabled quantitative determination of haloperidol with the current CE-C4D setup, was observed for the latter. After addition of a commonly used ion carrier (bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate) to NPOE, a wide range of matrix components were transferred across the SLM with no measurable transfer of the analytes. Best selectivity regarding transfer of the basic drugs and elimination of matrix components was obtained using SLM impregnated with NPOE. An optimized EME-CE-C4D method was used to determine the basic drugs in various samples and satisfactory analytical parameters were obtained.

► A CE-C4D method for determination of SLM selectivity is presented. ► Analytes and matrix components can be determined simultaneously by CE-C4D. ► Transport of all species across SLMs can thus be monitored comprehensively. ► The CE-C4D method enables rapid and simple selection of most suitable SLM. ► Selection of SLM for EME of basic drugs in complex samples is demonstrated.