Ionic Liquid Sorbent Coatings Research Articles

Polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in thin film microextraction: Insight into sorbent selectivity for pesticides and cannabinoids

Polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings consisting of polymerizable cations and anions were employed as sorbent coatings in thin film microextraction (TFME) for the extraction of pesticides and cannabinoids. The blades consisted of a thin film of PIL sorbents chemically bonded to vinyltrimethoxysilane-functionalized nitinol sheets. The imidazolium- or ammonium-based PIL sorbents contained aromatic benzyl moieties as well as polar hydroxyl groups or aliphatic functional groups within the chemical structure of the IL monomer. The chemical structure of the IL crosslinkers of the PILs were kept constant across each sorbent, except for the anion, which consisted of either bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([NTf2−]), p-styrenesulfonate ([SS−]), or 3-sulfopropyl acrylate ([SPA−]). Temperature, salt content, and methanol content were optimized as extraction conditions to maximize pesticide-cannabinoid selectivity using Doehlert design of experiments (DOE). Effects of these three factors on selectivity and extraction efficiency are discussed. The optimal extraction conditions consisting of sample temperature (31°C), sodium chloride (30% w/v), and methanol content (0.25% v/v) are compared to initial sorbent screening conditions at a sample temperature of 40°C, 15% (w/v) sodium chloride, and 2.5% (v/v) methanol content. PIL sorbent swelling behavior at different salt and methanol content conditions and its effect on extraction efficiency are hypothesized. Selectivity factors for the sorbents indicated that aromatic moieties within the IL monomer may enhance pesticide-cannabinoid selectivity under optimized conditions, but the extraction efficiency of pesticides that are known to coelute with cannabinoids in the chromatographic separation may be enhanced by employing sorbent coatings with [SPA−] anions.

Understanding the influence of polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coating substituents on cannabinoid and pesticide affinity in solid-phase microextraction

To understand factors that drive pesticide-cannabinoid selectivity in solid-phase microextraction (SPME), eight new polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings were designed and compared to four previously reported PIL sorbent coatings for the extraction of pesticides. The four PIL sorbent coatings consisted of either vinylimidazolium or vinylbenzylimidazolium ILs with long alkyl chain substituents (i.e., -C8H17 or -C12H25) and bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([NTf2−]) anions, from which the eight new PIL sorbent coatings were adapted. Modifications to the chemical structure of IL monomers and crosslinkers included incorporation of polymerizable p-styrenesulfonate or 3-sulfopropyl acrylate anions, the addition of aromatic moieties, and/or the addition of polar functional groups (i.e., -OH or -O- groups). A total of ten commonly regulated pesticides and six cannabinoids were examined in this study. The effect of salt on the solubility of pesticides and cannabinoids in aqueous solutions was assessed by determining their extraction efficiencies in the presence of varied methanol content. Differences in their solubilities appear to play a dominant role in enhancing pesticide-cannabinoid selectivity. The selectivity, represented as the ratio of pesticide total peak areas to cannabinoid total peak areas, also exhibited a moderate correlation to the affinity of the sorbent coatings towards both the pesticides and the cannabinoids. A positive correlation was observed for the pesticides and a negative correlation was observed for the cannabinoids, suggesting that selectivity was driven by more than the presence of salt in the samples. The sorbent coatings’ affinity towards each class of analytes were examined to determine specific interactions that might influence selectivity. The two main structural modifications increasing pesticide-cannabinoid selectivity included the absence of aromatic moieties and the addition of hydrogen bond donor functional groups. Extractions of simple aromatic molecules as probes were performed under similar extraction conditions as the cannabinoids and confirmed the influence of hydrogen bonding interactions on sorbent coating affinity.

Polymeric metal-containing ionic liquid sorbent coating for the determination of amines using headspace solid-phase microextraction.

This study describes the design, synthesis, and application of polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings featuring nickel metal centers for the determination of volatile and semivolatile amines from water samples using headspace solid-phase microextraction. The examined polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings were composed of two ionic liquid monomers (tetra(3-vinylimidazolium)nickel bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide [Ni2+ (VIM)4 ]2[NTf2 - ] and 1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium [HVIM+ ][NTf2 - ]), and an ionic liquid cross-linker (1,12-di(3-vinylimidazolium)dodecane [(VIM)2 C12 2+ ]2[NTf2 - ]). With these ionic liquid monomers and cross-linkers, three different types of coatings were prepared: PIL1 based on the neat [Ni2+ (VIM)4 ]2[NTf2 - ] monomer, PIL2 consisting of the [Ni2+ (VIM)4 ]2[NTf2 - ] monomer with addition of cross-linker, and PIL3 composed of the [HVIM+ ][NTf2 - ] monomer and cross-linker. Analytical performance of the prepared sorbent coatings using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was compared with the polydimethylsiloxane and polyacrylate commercial coatings. The PIL2 sorbent coating yielded the highest enrichment factors ranging from 5500 to over 160000 for the target analytes. The developed headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was applied for the analysis of real samples (the concentration of amines was 200μg/L), producing relative recovery values in the range of 90.9-120.0% (PIL1) and 83.0-122.7% (PIL2) from tap water, and 84.8-112.4% (PIL1) and 79.2-119.3% (PIL2) from lake water.

Polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in headspace solid-phase microextraction: A green sample preparation technique for the determination of pesticides in soil

In this work, a green approach utilizing novel polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) coatings for headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) of four current-use pesticides from soil samples was studied for the first time. Epoxiconazole, fluroxypyr, metribuzin, and oxyfluorfen were the target pesticides. Three PIL coatings containing 1-vinylbenzyl-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (PIL1 and PIL2) and 1-vinyl-3-(10-hydroxydecyl)imidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (PIL3) monomers, and 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylimidazolium)dodecane bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (PIL1) and 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzimidazolium)dodecane bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (PIL2 and PIL3) crosslinkers were employed in this study. The performance of these PIL coatings was evaluated and compared with commercial SPME coatings based on polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at the different extraction temperatures (50–90 °C) and sampling times (15–60 min). HS-SPME at 90 °C for 60 min provided the highest sensitivity and adequate reproducibility for the majority of analytes. Despite having a lower thickness, PIL2 and PIL3 coatings provided similar extraction effectiveness of analytes, and 24–247% higher coating volume-normalized responses compared to the commercial PDMS/DVB coating. The use of the PIL1 sorbent coating resulted in excellent linearity (R2 = 0.995–0.999) and lower detection limits (0.06–0.4 ng g−1) for all analytes. The optimized method provides acceptable recoveries of spiked concentrations with better performance (84–112%) achieved with the PIL1 coating. Compared to other known methods for target pesticides in soil, the proposed method provides the highest compliance with the principles of green analytical chemistry evaluated using Analytical Eco-Scale and Green Analytical Procedure Index tools.

Silver-based polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings for solid-phase microextraction: Materials for the selective extraction of unsaturated compounds

A new generation of silver-based polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings has been developed and applied in solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The new materials are based on ionic liquid monomers formed by cations containing the silver(I) ion coordinated with two 1-vinylimidazole ligands. Up to seven different silver-based PIL sorbent coatings were developed by polymerizing the silver-IL monomer in the presence of either silver bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide, and/or a dicationic ionic liquid crosslinker. The obtained sorbent coatings were found to possess adequate thermal stability despite the presence of the silver(I) ions. Thermal desorption of the analytes at 175 °C was effectively used without any significant decrease in extraction efficiency. The developed sorbent coatings were used in two different applications: the determination of alkenes/alkynes via headspace SPME and the determination of unsaturated fatty acids using direct-immersion SPME. In the former approach, the silver-based PILs were particularly selective for the determination of unsaturated compounds with terminal double bonds such as 1,5-hexadiene, 2-methyl-1,5-hexadiene, and 1,8-nonadiene. A study of the extraction mechanism of the analytes to the sorbent coating revealed a competitive partitioning of the analytes. In the second approach, the most selective silver-based PILs were applied for the determination of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. After proper optimization of the method, the coatings were found to be more or as sensitive as the commercial polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Limits of detection between 2.6 and 8.2 μg L−1 in ultrapure water and from 12 to 14 μg L−1 in tap water were obtained for the best silver-based PIL, with relative standard deviations lower than 13% in all cases at a spiked level of 160 μg L−1. Finally, the fiber was effectively applied for the analysis of rinse water from a dairy farm, with adequate detection of the analytes at concentrations between 52 and 179 μg L−1.

Characterization of the aroma profile of novel Brazilian wines by solid-phase microextraction using polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings.

In this study, a series of polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings is evaluated for the extraction of polar volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Brazilian wines using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), including samples from 'Isabella' and 'BRS Magna' cultivars-the latter was recently introduced by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - National Grape & Wine Research Center. The structurally tuned SPME coatings were compared to the commercial SPME phases, namely poly(acrylate) (PA) and divinylbenzene/carboxen/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (DVB/CAR/PDMS). The separation, detection and identification of the aroma profiles were obtained using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS). The best performing PIL-based SPME fiber, namely 1-hexadecyl-3-vinylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide with 1,12-di(3-vinylimidazolium)dodecane dibis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide incorporated cross-linker supported on an elastic nitinol wire, exhibited superior performance to DVB/CAR/PDMS regarding the average number of extracted peaks and extracted more polar analytes providing additional insight into the aroma profile of 'BRS Magna' wines. Four batches of wine were evaluated, namely 'Isabella' and 'BRS Magna' vintages 2015 and 2016, using highly selective PIL-based SPME coatings and enabled the detection of 350+ peaks. Furthermore, this is the first report evaluating the aroma of 'BRS Magna' wines. A hybrid approach that combined pixel-based Fisher ratio and peak table-based data comparison was used for data handling. This proof-of-concept experiment provided reliable and statistically valid distinction of wines that may guide regulation agencies to create high sample throughput protocols to screen wines exported by Brazilian vintners. Graphical abstract Highly selective extraction of wine aroma using polymeric ionic liquid.

Automated direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction using crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings for the determination of water pollutants by gas chromatography.

Four different crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based sorbent coatings were evaluated in an automated direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction method (automated DI-SPME) in combination with gas chromatography (GC). The crosslinked PIL coatings were based on vinyl-alkylimidazolium- (ViCnIm-) or vinylbenzyl-alkylimidazolium- (ViBzCnIm-) IL monomers, and di-(vinylimidazolium)dodecane ((ViIm)2C12-) or di-(vinylbenzylimidazolium)dodecane ((ViBzIm)2C12-) dicationic IL crosslinkers. In addition, a PIL-based hybrid coating containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was also studied. The studied PIL coatings were covalently attached to derivatized nitinol wires and mounted onto the Supelco assembly to ensure automation when acting as SPME coatings. Their behavior was evaluated in the determination of a group of water pollutants, after proper optimization. A comparison was carried out with three common commercial SPME fibers. It was observed that those PILs containing a benzyl group in their structures, either in the IL monomer and crosslinker (PIL-1-1) or only in the crosslinker (PIL-0-1), were the most efficient sorbents for the selected analytes. The validation of the overall automated DI-SPME-GC-flame ionization detector (FID) method gave limits of detection down to 135 μg · L(-1) for p-cresol when using the PIL-1-1 and down to 270 μg · L(-1) when using the PIL-0-1; despite their coating thickness: ~2 and ~5 μm, respectively. Average relative recoveries with waters were of 85 ± 14 % and 87 ± 15 % for PIL-1-1 and PIL-0-1, respectively. Precision values as relative standard deviation were always lower than 4.9 and 7.6 % (spiked level between 10 and 750 μg · L(-1), as intra-day precision). Graphical Abstract Automated DI-SPME-GC-FID using crosslinked-PILs sorbent coatings for the determination of waterpollutants.

A chemometric approach toward the detection and quantification of coffee adulteration by solid-phase microextraction using polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using cross-linked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based sorbent coatings was used to extract volatile aroma-related compounds from coffee samples. Several PIL-based coatings were screened alongside a commercial poly(acrylate) (PA) SPME coating. The best performing PIL-based SPME fiber, poly(1-vinyl-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylimide]) with 50% (w/w) 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylimidazolium)dodecane dibis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide incorporated cross-linker, was used to isolate the volatile fraction of Arabica coffee. To illustrate the importance of trace analyte isolation, a method for the detection and quantification of coffee adulteration is described. Chromatographic profiles obtained by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were used to create the chemometric model. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was employed to correlate the aroma-related chemical fingerprint to the degree of adulteration. The proposed method successfully detected fraud down to 1% (w/w) of adulterant and accurately determined the degree of coffee adulteration (i.e, root mean square error of calibration and prediction of 0.54% and 0.83% (w/w), respectively). Finally, important aroma-related compounds including furans, methoxyphenols, pyrazines, and ketones were identified.

Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in ocean water and bovine milk using crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings by solid-phase microextraction

Crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based sorbent coatings were employed in the extraction of 21 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from ocean water and bovine milk using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The extraction temperature, time, and concentration of sodium chloride added to the matrix were optimized in order to determine the best extraction conditions for the extraction of PCBs. The analytical performance of the crosslinked PIL-based SPME fibers was compared with a commercial 7 µm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber using gas chromatography (GC) employing an electron capture detector (ECD) and mass spectrometric detection (MS). Higher sensitivities for PCBs were achieved using PIL-based fibers when compared to PDMS fiber due to the incorporation of benzyl moieties into the PIL structures. The limits of detection (LOD) for all PCBs were determined to be in the low ng L(-1) range using the three studied coatings. Recovery studies were performed for PCBs in ocean water and bovine milk to validate the applicability of the current SPME method.

Insight into the extraction mechanism of polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in solid-phase microextraction

An investigation into the mechanism of extraction for polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based solid phase microextraction sorbent coatings is described. Four PIL-based coatings, namely, a poly(1-4-vinylbenzyl)-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] imide (poly([VBHDIM][NTf2])) PIL produced through 2,2′-azo-bis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) initiated free-radical polymerization, a UV-initiated poly(1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium) chloride (poly([VHIM][Cl])) PIL, and two crosslinked PILs containing the same IL monomers copolymerized with dicationic IL crosslinkers, were investigated. Calibration curves of 1-octanol were plotted in the presence of naphthalene, a model interfering compound, to observe changes in the linear range, sensitivity, and amount of analytes extracted. Results were compared with a polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) coating and a polyacrylate (PA) coating which are known to extract analytes primarily through adsorption and partitioning mechanisms, respectively. All PIL-based coatings extracted analytes via a non-competitive partitioning mechanism regardless of the extent of crosslinking.

Ultraviolet Photoinitiated On-Fiber Copolymerization of Ionic Liquid Sorbent Coatings for Headspace and Direct Immersion Solid-Phase Microextraction

A high-throughput method for the production of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) sorbent coatings via ultraviolet (UV) photoinitiated copolymerization of ionic liquid (IL) monomers on a fused silica support is described. The copolymerization of monocationic and dicationic IL cross-linkers was performed "on-fiber" using UV initiated free radical polymerization. Mixtures composed of various amounts of the IL cross-linker, UV initiator (DAROCUR 1173), and IL monomer were dip-coated onto an etched and derivatized fused silica support and placed in a high-capacity UV reactor. The method requires no organic dispersive solvent and is much more rapid compared to traditional methods in which polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings are prepared by 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) (AIBN)-initiated polymerization. Two ionic liquid-based cross-linkers, namely, 1,8-di (3-vinylimidazolium) octane dibromide ([(VIM)(2)C(8)] 2[Br]) and 1,12-di (3-vinylimidazolium) dodecane dibromide ([(VIM)(2)C(12)] 2[Br]), were copolymerized with an ionic liquid monomer, 1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium chloride ([VHIM][Cl]), to produce polar cross-linked PIL-based SPME sorbent coatings. The cross-linking and immobilization of these coatings make them particularly applicable in direct immersion SPME. The coatings were applied in the extraction of polar analytes, including alcohols, aldehydes, and esters, from aqueous solutions using headspace and direct immersion SPME gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Compared to linear PIL-based sorbent coatings containing the same anions, the cross-linked PIL-based coatings exhibited higher thermal stability and lower bleed, making them ideal for GC/MS. Recovery experiments were performed in deionized, well, and river water. The structural integrity of the sorbent coatings, as well as their analytical precision, was not diminished after 90 extractions from complex samples using headspace and direct immersion SPME.

Selective extraction of genotoxic impurities and structurally alerting compounds using polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in solid-phase microextraction: Alkyl halides and aromatics

A series of polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) possessing varied chemical makeup and composition were applied as selective solid-phase microextraction (SPME) sorbent coatings for the analysis of genotoxic impurities (GTIs) and related structurally alerting compounds, namely, alkyl halides and aromatics. In addition to exploiting two previously synthesized PILs as selective coatings, two new PILs, namely, N,N-didecyl-N-methyl-d-glucaminium poly(2-methyl-acrylic acid 2-[1-(3-{2-[2-(3-trifluoromethanesulfonylamino-propoxy)-ethoxy]-ethoxy}-propylamino)-vinylamino]-ethyl ester) (poly([DDMGlu][MTFSI])), and poly(1-vinyl-3-propylphenylimidazolium) chloride (poly([VPPIM][Cl])), were designed, synthesized, and their selectivity examined in the extraction of the selected analytes. The glucaminium-based coating was developed to exploit the hydrogen bond-acidic hydroxyl groups within the carbohydrate moiety of the PIL in addition to dispersive capabilities resulting from the cation and anion. The poly([VPPIM][Cl]) coating was tailored to possess π–π interaction capabilities through the phenyl functionality while also containing the hydrogen bond-basic chloride anion. Calibration studies were performed via headspace extraction to determine the sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) for all analytes with respect to each PIL-based sorbent coating and compared to the polyacrylate (PA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sorbent coatings. PILs containing the chloride anion exhibited high selectivity for aniline-based compounds. The glucaminium-based PIL exhibited good sensitivity for larger aliphatic alkyl halides. The poly(1-4-vinylbenzyl-3-hexadecylimidazolium) bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] imide (poly([VBHDIM][NTf2])) PIL coating demonstrated superior selectivity for larger aliphatic/aromatic analytes. The LODs of both commercial and PIL-based coatings for the two classes of GTIs ranged from low part-per-billion (ppb) to mid part-per-trillion (ppt) levels. Recovery studies were performed at two concentration levels within the linear range in order to validate the accuracy of the technique. Scanning electron micrographs were obtained for three PIL-based coatings following approximately 70 extraction/desorption steps, wherein the fiber coatings were observed to be largely smooth and intact.

Developing qualitative extraction profiles of coffee aromas utilizing polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Two solid-phase microextraction (SPME) sorbent coatings based on polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) have been utilized for the analysis of complex coffee aroma samples. The PIL-based SPME coatings examined, namely, poly(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide) [poly(VBHDIm(+) NTf(2)(-))], with ~14-μm thickness, and poly(1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium chloride) [poly(ViHIm(+)Cl(-))], with ~8-μm thickness, were employed for the headspace determination of up to 49 analytes from four different coffee beans: two French roast coffees of different brands, Sumatra coffee, and decaffeinated Sumatra coffee. The analysis was conducted using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. For comparative purposes, the commercial polyacrylate (PA, 85-μm film thickness) SPME coating was utilized under the same extraction conditions. The three SPME coatings tested behaved quite differently as a function of the families of compounds extracted. Thus, the poly(VBHDIm(+) NTf(2)(-) ) coating was extremely selective for aldehydes while also exhibiting good extraction efficiencies for acids. The poly-(ViHIm(+) Cl(-)) coating exhibited superior performance for aromatic alcohols, and the PA coating worked better for heterocyclic aromatics. Both PIL-based SPME sorbent coatings demonstrated exceptional selectivity and extraction efficiency when dealing with complex coffee aromas in spite of their small film thicknesses.

Tuning the selectivity of polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using solid-phase microextraction

A new generation polymeric ionic liquid (PIL), poly(1-4-vinylbenzyl)-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (poly(VBHDIm + NTf 2 −)), was synthesized and is shown to exhibit impressive selectivity towards the extraction of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aqueous samples when used as a sorbent coating in direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography (GC). The PIL was imparted with aromatic character to enhance π–π interactions between the analytes and the sorbent coating. For comparison purposes, a PIL with similar structure but lacking the π–π interaction capability, poly(1-vinyl-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide) (poly(HDIm + NTf 2 −)), as well as a commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sorbent coating were evaluated and exhibited much lower extraction efficiencies. Extraction parameters, including stir rate and extraction time, were studied and optimized. The detection limits of poly(VBHDIm + NTf 2 −), poly(HDIm + NTf 2 −), and PDMS coatings varied between 0.003–0.07 μg L −1, 0.02–0.6 μg L −1, and 0.1–6 μg L −1, respectively. The partition coefficients (log K fs ) of eight PAHs to the three studied fiber coatings were estimated using a static SPME approach. This study represents the first report of analyte partition coefficients to any PIL-based material.

Selective extraction of CO 2 from simulated flue gas using polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings in solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography

The CO 2 selectivity of two polymeric task-specific ionic liquid sorbent coatings, poly(1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium) bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide [poly(VHIM-NTf 2)] and poly(1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium) taurate [poly(VHIM-taurate)], was examined using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the determination of CO 2 in simulated flue gas. For comparison purposes, a commercial SPME fiber, Carboxen™-PDMS, was also studied. A study into the effect of humidity revealed that the poly(VHIM-taurate) fiber exhibited enhanced resistance to water, presumably due to the unique mechanism of CO 2 capture. The effect of temperature on the performance of the PIL-based and Carboxen fibers was examined by generating calibration curves under various temperatures. The sensitivity, linearity, and linear range of the three fibers were evaluated. The extraction of CH 4 and N 2 was performed and the selectivities of the PIL-based and Carboxen fibers were compared. The poly(VHIM-NTf 2) fiber was found to possess superior CO 2/CH 4 and CO 2/N 2 selectivities compared to the Carboxen fiber, despite the smaller film thicknesses of the PIL-based fibers. A scanning electron microscopy study suggests that the amine group of the poly(VHIM-taurate) is capable of selectively reacting with CO 2 but not CH 4 or N 2, resulting in a significant surface morphology change of the sorbent coating.