title: Ionic liquid-based single-drop microextraction/gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers in waters.
abstract: The direct coupling between ionic liquid-based single-drop microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is proposed for the rapid and simple determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes isomers (BTEX) in water samples. The extraction procedure exploits not only the high affinity of the selected ionic liquid (1-methyl-3-octyl-imidazolium hexaflourophosphate) to these aromatic compounds but also its special properties like viscosity, low vapour pressure and immiscibility with water. All the variables involved in the extraction process have been studied in depth. The developed method allows the determination of these single-ring compounds in water under the reference concentration level fixed by the international legislation. In this case, limits of detection were in the range 20 ng L(-1) (obtained for benzene) and 91 ng L(-1) (for o-xylene). The repeatability of the proposed method, expressed as RSD (n=5), varied between 3.0% (o-xylene) and 5.2% (toluene).
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Marie Curie Building (Annex), Campus de Rabanales, University of Cordoba, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguilera-Herrador
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucena
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cárdenas
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valcárcel
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis*; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods*; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D014867:Water; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene; C004912:ethylbenzene