Characterizing disinfection byproduct precursors through organic matter fractionation and correlation analysis using nontargeted screening analysis with Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are carcinogenic and environmentally persistent contaminants, necessitating their efficient removal to protect environmental and human health. In this study, a series of fluorinated, non-PFAS-based magnetic polymer sorbents is developed for the selective removal of multiple PFAS from landfill leachate containing high levels of co-contaminants. Crosslinked polymer networks are shown to enhance both magnetic separation and PFAS sorption performance. The magnetic sorbent with a higher proportion of quaternary ammonium groups and a lower proportion of fluorinated segments shows improved sorption kinetics for most PFAS and greater sorption capacity for perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), the most abundant compound in the tested landfill leachate. However, this formulation exhibits lower sorption selectivity and reduced equilibrium removal efficiencies when PFAS are present at low initial concentrations. A compact and portable treatment device is constructed to simulate practical deployment. The system achieves high PFAS removal efficiencies (>90% for the majority of PFAS) and maintains good regeneration and reusability over five sorption-desorption cycles at environmentally relevant concentrations. Compared to four commercially available sorbents, the developed magnetic polymer sorbents exhibit superior performance in PFAS removal, indicating their potential as efficient candidates for remediating PFAS from landfill leachate.

Magnetic polymer sorbents were developed and evaluated for the extraction of bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solution using magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV). Two sorbents were synthesized by modifying amine-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS): MPCNT, prepared with carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH), and MPTCl, synthesized without MWCNT-COOH and cross-linked with terephthaloyl chloride. Incorporation of MWCNT-COOH introduced additional π–π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic domains, which significantly enhanced BPA uptake. Various analytical techniques were employed to characterize the morphology, thermal properties, and particle stability of MPCNT, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), zeta potential measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To optimize the extraction performance, several extraction conditions were studied, including the amount of polymer content, the pH effect, the sample volume used for both adsorption and desorption, and the salting-out effect. The reproducibility of the MPCNT-based extraction method was found to be acceptable, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 7.85%. The method's linearity was tested, and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were determined to be 15.15 µg L−1 and 50.00 µg L−1, respectively, with a high coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.9992). The relative standard deviations obtained were consistently below 10% (n = 5).

Green polymeric nanocomposite sorbent based on maltodextrin and lignin for magnetic solid-phase extraction of PAHs from food and environmental water samples

Aflatoxins remain among the most challenging food contaminants to monitor due to their structural diversity, low abundance, and the chemical complexity of cereal- and nut-based matrices. In this study, a multifunctional Cu/β-cyclodextrin@carboxylated graphene oxide (Cu/β-CD@CGO) nanocomposite was synthesized through a green, two-step procedure and employed as a high-affinity nanosorbent for trace extraction of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2. The architecture integrates three complementary components: β-cyclodextrin for inclusion-driven molecular recognition, copper nanoparticles that establish coordination interactions with lactone-bearing aflatoxins, and CGO nanosheets that supply extensive π-rich surfaces and abundant carboxyl functionalities. Comprehensive characterization (FTIR, Raman, XPS, SEM, EDX-mapping, and HRTEM) confirmed the formation of a uniform, porous hybrid network. Under optimized d-SPE conditions, the nanocomposite enabled quantitative recovery (92.0–108.5%) of aflatoxins from pistachio, maize, and rice extracts while achieving sub-ng kg−1 detection limits and excellent reproducibility. The results demonstrate that the Cu/β-CD@CGO platform provides a robust, selective, and sustainable alternative to conventional immunoaffinity or polymeric sorbents, offering strong potential for routine surveillance of aflatoxins in complex food systems.

The World Health Organization released the fungal priority pathogen list (FPPL) in late 2022, identifying fungal pathogens in urgent need of research and intervention. Triazole antifungals, as first-line therapy, require therapeutic drug monitoring to optimize outcomes because of their narrow therapeutic range and interindividual pharmacokinetic variability. The bioanalysis process is challenging due to complex matrices. This study aimed to develop and validate an analytical method for quantifying voriconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography with an imprinted polymer sorbent. Optimization employed a C 18 column with isocratic elution (acetonitrile:water 70:30, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and detection at 260 nm. Retention times were 2.467, 3.487, and 9.006 minutes for fluconazole, voriconazole, and itraconazole, respectively. System suitability testing met chromatographic requirements. The validated bioanalytical method complies with U.S. FDA guidelines, demonstrating linearity over the 0.5–5 mg/L range. Maximum percent bias was 13.4% for the calibration curve, 15.6% at the LLOQ, and 12.9% above the LLOQ. Precision showed a maximum coefficient of variation of 12.9%, confirming the method’s accuracy and reproducibility. The molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) method showed superior selectivity and recovery compared with commercial C 18 SPE cartridges. This study establishes a reliable method for future clinical sample applications.

Sorption of psychoactive compounds on passive sampling sorbents in the presence of wastewater suspended particulate matter.

Streamlining metal analysis in wine: Matrix purification for simple lead detection by AAS or portable electrochemical sensor.

The influence of the medium’s acidity and temperature on the sorption of silver ions by impregnated polymer sorbents was investigated. The sorption process was studied in the pH range of 1–12 using PAD400, PAD600, and FK-based sorbents modified with chelating ligands such as MAB, Dtz, and DEDTK. The results demonstrated that the sorption efficiency strongly depends on the acidity of the solution, with maximum sorption observed at pH = 3. The kinetics of silver ion sorption were analyzed using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models. Experimental data showed that the sorption process reaches equilibrium within 60 minutes. Comparison of the kinetic parameters revealed that the pseudo-second-order model best describes the sorption process for all sorbents, with correlation coefficients (R² > 0.99) and calculated equilibrium capacities (Qₑ,calc) consistent with experimental data (Qₑ,obs). These findings indicate that the rate-limiting step of the sorption process is the surface chemical reaction between the functional groups of the sorbent and silver ions.

Ambient air is the most important life-support component of the ecosystem, so its pollution is a powerful and permanent factor influencing on both humans and the environment. Volatile organic aromatic compounds are the main group of pollutants that affect human health. For effective analytical control of the environmental quality, highly sensitive and selective methods for determining xylenes in ambient air are necessary.The aim of this study. To examine the results of theoretical and experimental research, methods and procedures for measuring mass concentrations of xylene isomers in ambient air.The review focuses on data available in scientific literature published in the abstract databases of Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus, and Elibrary, devoted to studying the content of xylenes in ambient air.A review of Russian and foreign scientific literature on physicochemical methods for controlling determination of xylenes in air has revealed organic compounds to be determined using chromato-mass-spectrometry with thermal desorption involved in the sampling stage.Conclusion. This analysis of scientific and methodological literature has shown sorption concentration on solid sorbents (porous polymer sorbents) to be the most widely used sampling method to determine the content of xylenes in ambient air. The optimal way to extract xylenes from a sorbent is thermal desorption of the selected sample directly into the column of gas chromatograph and subsequent gas chromatographic analysis.Contribution: Nurislamova T.V. — study concept and design, editing the text; Popova N.A. — study concept and design, editing the text; Maltseva O.A. — study concept and design, editing the text; Kolmogortseva D.Yu. — literature data collection and analysis, writing the text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Funding. The study had no sponsorship.Received: June 10, 2025 / Revised: August 8, 2025 / Accepted: September 25, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025

Abstract. Introduction. Macrocyclic compounds such as crown ethers and their analogs are able to selectively bind metal ions due to donor atoms in the ring, which makes them promising for the development of sorbents. Polymers with nitrogen- and sulfur-containing crown ethers are of particular interest because of their high selectivity and stability. The aim of this work is to synthesize sorbents based on aza- and thiacrown-ether compounds forming selective complexes with metal ions in solution. The synthesis, structural characterization and sorption properties of polymeric sorbents based on macrocyclic compounds containing nitrogen and sulfur atoms - aza- and thiacraun- esters - are considered in this work. These compounds have the ability to form stable and selective complexes with metal ions due to the presence of donor atoms (nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur) in their ring structure. The work focuses on the advantages of immobilization of macrocyclic ligands on a polymer matrix in order to increase their stability, reduce toxicity and improve sorption characteristics. Methods and Materials. Immobilization was carried out on a chloromethylated copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene by nucleophilic substitution in dimethylformamide. Various crown ether derivatives were successfully anchored: monoaza-15-crown-5 (MA15K5), diaza-18-crown-6 (DA18K6), and mixed aza-thiacrown ethers (DADT18K6 and DATT18K6). The structural changes were confirmed by IR spectroscopy and optimal reaction conditions in terms of temperature, time and reagent ratio were established. Studies and Results. The obtained polymers were investigated for their ability to sorb metal ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ag⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺) in aqueous and methanol media. The sorption efficiency was found to depend significantly on the structure of the macrocycle, especially on the number of sulfur atoms, as well as on the nature of the solvent. Polymers containing DADT18K6 and DATT18K6 showed the highest affinity to Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions. The obtained results confirm the promising application of immobilized aza- and thiacraun ether sorbents for selective extraction of metal ions and in the tasks of environmental protection.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a flame retardant widely added to polymer products. Successful isolation of target analytes from complex natural matrices relies on extraction materials that can selectively interact with the analytes. In this context, the use of magnetic nanostructured adsorbents, such as magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer systems (MMIPs), can play a key role in both selective matrix–analyte interactions and separation processes. Here, to achieve different TBBPA loadings, Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were coated with chitosan (CS) or (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). Moreover, to further promote template–NP interactions and modulate the polymeric shell thickness of MMIPs, 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (HC) was covalently bonded in different amounts to APTES-functionalized MNPs. Thermal, SEM, and elemental analyses showed a different coating degree of the nanocomposites (Fe3O4@CS-MIP size d = 77 nm and Fe3O4@APTES-MIP d = 20 nm). In addition, it was confirmed that the adsorption mechanism of TBBPA on Fe3O4@APTES-HCX-MIPs was due to specific interactions between the systems and the analyte, unlike non-imprinted analogs (MNIPs). Among the developed systems, the Fe3O4@APTES-HC0.7-MIP sample showed the best extraction efficiency (85%) associated with good discharge efficiency (70%). Furthermore, this nanocomposite displayed high selectivity towards TBBPA (ε > 1) and good extraction efficiency in three consecutive cycles (67%), demonstrating great potential in the environmental field.

The escalating demand for lithium has intensified the need to process critical lithium ores into battery-grade materials efficiently. This review paper overviews the transformation processes and cost of converting critical lithium ores, primarily spodumene and brine, into high-purity battery-grade precursors. We systematically examine the study findings on various approaches for lithium recovery from spodumene and brine. Dense media separation (DMS) and froth flotation are the most often used processes for spodumene beneficiation. Magnetic separation (MS) and ore gravity concentration techniques in spodumene processing have also been considered. To produce battery-grade lithium salts, the beneficiated-concentrated spodumene must be treated further, with or without heat, in the presence of acidic or alkaline media. As a result, various pyro and hydrometallurgical techniques have been explored. Moreover, the process of extracting lithium from brine through precipitation, liquid–liquid extraction, and polymer inclusion membrane separation employing different organic, inorganic, and composite polymer sorbents has also been reviewed. Figure 1

Novel Polymeric Nanocomposite Sorbent for Rare Earth Elements Extraction: Kinetic Study and Process Feasibility

The challenge of ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions correlates with intensive research into the development of new CO2 sorbents. The research aimed to propose a new generation of porous polymer sorbents that contribute to decarbonization. Among all oligomers and (co)polymers, the 3-buten-2-ol oligomer showed the highest CO2 sorption properties (0.82 mmol g-1). The heat of adsorption of CO2 by oligo(3-buten-2-ol) was equal to 8.51 kJ mol-1. Polyolefins and polar oligomers were synthesized using a new, innovative, and highly active oxovanadium(IV) precatalyst. An easy, one-step method for the synthesis of cis/trans-[VO(acac)2(3-ppy)] provides a unique coordination compound containing two molecules that are reciprocal geometric isomers with a spatial arrangement of acetylacetonate ligands (cis and trans). The complex shows very active catalytic properties in the polymerization reactions of olefins (83,400 kgPE molV-1 h-1) and polar monomers, for example, 2-propen-1-ol (1060 kg molV-1 h-1). A physicochemical study was also conducted to determine the stability constant of the complex formation, log β1210 = 27.82.

Off-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction of some herbicides based on poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

Abstract The urgent need to mitigate climate change has intensified interest in direct air capture (DAC) technology, which targets extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere. Among the various sorbents used in DAC, polymers have emerged as a promising solution, either as active sorbents or as structural supports for active DAC materials, due to their customizable properties, scalability and low cost. This mini‐review investigates the latest trends in polymer‐based materials for DAC and identifies critical research gaps, such as the need for thorough lifecycle assessments and in‐depth studies on the degradation of polymeric materials. It also outlines future directions, emphasizing the importance of developing cost‐effective, scalable and durable polymers that can perform efficiently across diverse climatic conditions, including the unique challenges presented by cold weather regions abundant in renewable energy. This mini‐review aims to inform ongoing efforts in the design and utilization of polymeric sorbents, providing insights that could guide the development of economically viable and environmentally sustainable DAC technologies. © 2025 The Author(s). Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The Studying Synthesis of a New Polymer Sorbent based on O-phenylenediamine and Epichlorohydrin and Its Sorption Properties

Abstract BACKGROUNDNeodymium (Nd3+) is a critical rare earth element, with widespread use in advanced technology, requiring effective recovery mechanisms due to increasing demand. A novel neodymium ion‐imprinted polymer (Nd‐IIP) was here synthesized from aminoguanidine‐functionalized phenolic resin as the functional matrix. Polymerization entailed the Diels–Alder crosslinking mechanism, which created well‐organized and selective recognition sites for Nd3+ ions. Stabilization following crosslinking ensured high specificity, mechanical stability, and reusability of the polymer.RESULTSThe effective introduction of the functional groups was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid‐state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, while X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis provided information regarding the adsorption mechanism. Thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis was used for thermal stability confirmation of the polymer. Adsorption study illustrated maximum adsorption capacity of ~400 mg g−1, which was found to be roughly twice that of non‐imprinted polymer. Adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo‐second‐order kinetics, confirming monolayer, chemisorption‐based adsorption. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Selectivity analysis revealed that Nd‐IIP was 30–40‐fold more selective for Nd3+ than for interfering metal ions.CONCLUSIONNd‐IIP maintained 95% of its adsorption capacity after five cycles of regeneration, affirming its high reusability and durability. The results emphasize Nd‐IIP as a highly selective and effective polymeric sorbent for the removal and recovery of Nd3+ from aqueous solutions, with great potential for the sustainable extraction of rare earth elements. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

The preconcentration and isolation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remain challenging due to their varying chain lengths and diverse headgroup chemical functionalities. These substances are persistent and occur in the environment at low parts-per-trillion concentration levels, necessitating the use of efficient and selective sorbents that can enhance their preconcentration from the targeted sample prior to instrumental analysis. This study, for the first time, evaluates the use of a polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) consisting of 1-(9-carboxy-nonyl)-3-vinylimidazolium bromide [C9COOHVim+] [Br-] ionic liquid (IL) monomer and 1,12-di(3-vinylimidazolium)dodecane bromide ([C12(Vim+)2]2[Br-]) IL cross-linker for the simultaneous separation and preconcentration of 15 anionic PFAS. The PIL was immobilized on a thin film microextraction device to improve preconcentration, extraction, and desorption kinetics. The addition of competing anions to the desorption solution was critical to ensure the quantitative desorption of the anionic PFAS by an ion exchange mechanism. Partition coefficient calculations revealed a balanced extraction coverage for short- and long-chain PFAS in ultrapure water, while in solutions at high ionic strength, short-chain PFAS tend to display less affinity for the sorbent compared to long-chain PFAS. Kinetic studies showed that less hydrophobic PFAS (perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)-perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)) reached equilibrium faster and the extraction followed a pseudo-second order model with r2 values up to 0.9874. The applicability of the PIL-thin film microextraction (TFME) device for quantitative analysis was demonstrated by a calibration curve in a concentration range from 1 ng L-1 to 2500 ng L-1, which showed good accuracy (70-130%), precision (<20%), and limits of quantification from 1 ng L-1 to 50 ng L-1.