Determination of organic ultraviolet filters in environmental waters by magnetic solid phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

A method for the determination of organic ultravioletfilters (OUFs) in water samples was developed by the combination of polymeric ionic liquid-based magnetic solid-phase extraction (PIL-MSPE) and high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). To achieve the optimum extraction performance for the target analytes, several key variables, including desorption solvent, adsorption and desorption time, sample pH value and ionic strength in the sample matrix, were investigated in detail. Under the most favorable extraction conditions, linear behaviors were observed in the ranges of 0.5-200.0 μg/L for octyl salicylate and 0.2-200.0 μg/L for the other analytes. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) and limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N=10) for the target OUFs were in the ranges of 0.009-0.13 μg/L and 0.031-0.43 μg/L, respectively. The developed PIL/MSPE-HPLC-DAD method was successfully applied to detect trace OUFs in real water samples. The spiked recoveries at different spiked levels were 71.4%-120%, and the RSDs were below 10% for all the compounds in all the samples. The proposed method has some unique merits including simple operation, fast extraction procedure, high sensitivity and environmental friendliness. It can become a useful method for the monitoring of trace OUFs in water samples.