Sonication-assisted emulsification microextraction combined with vortex-assisted porous membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction using mixed zeolitic imidazolate frameworks 8 as sorbent

Mixed zeolitic imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) (nanometer and micron-sized) material were synthesized and applied as sorbent to sonication-assisted emulsification microextraction coupled to vortex-assisted porous membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction (SAE-VA-μ-SPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples. Better extraction results was obtained by using the mixed sorbent for the extraction of PAHs from aqueous samples, than either nanometer or micron-sized ZIF-8 separately. The developed method proved to be a time-saving, highly efficient (total extraction procedure was less than 10 min), accurate and robust method for water sample pretreatment. Parameters influencing the extraction efficiency such as desorption solvent, extraction solvent volume, emulsification time, desorption time and salt concentration were investigated and optimized. The limits of detection from gas chromatography–mass spectrometric analysis of six PAHs after SAE-VA-μ-SPE ranged between 0.004 and 0.011 ng/ml. The linear ranges were from 0.05 to 50 ng/ml, and the correlation coefficient was higher than 0.9943. The proposed method provides an interesting and innovative approach of combining different microscale sample preparation methods to solve analytical problems that are not easily addressed by the individual procedure alone.

► Mixed ZIF-8 (nanometer and micron-sized) was used as extraction sorbent of vortex-assisted (VA) μ-SPE. ► The μ-SPE step was preceded by a fast sonication-assisted emulsification (SAE) microextraction. ► SAE-VA-μ-SPE showed good linearity, low LODs and %RSDs for the extraction of PAHs.