Semi-automated solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons based on stainless steel meshes coated with metal–organic framework/graphene oxide

Abstract

In this study, Cu-based metal–organic framework/graphene oxide (Cu–MOF/GO) nanocomposite was coated on the stainless steel mesh (SSM) as a sorbent using the sol–gel method and it was used for the semi-automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples. The detection of extracted PAHs was done by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC–FID). The coated SSM is placed on a polypropylene syringe as a cartridge and connected to the peristaltic pump for the semi-automated SPE procedure. All parameters with significant effects on the extraction efficiency including, the volume of sample, elution solvent and its volume, salt amount, number of sample solution cycles, and elution solvent cycles on the cartridge were investigated to achieve the best experimental conditions. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the semi-automated SPE–GC–FID method demonstrated good linearity in the range of 0.001–30 ng mL−1 and, low limits of detection (0.3–1.8 pg mL−1) and, limits of quantification (0.001–0.006 ng mL−1). The sorbent was successfully applied to preconcentrate PAHs from real water samples and showed good accuracy with the relative recoveries in the range of 95.1–99.5% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs %) values were obtained in the range of 4.9 to 6.9%.