title: Exploitation of a single interface flow system for on-line aqueous biphasic extraction.
abstract: The exploitation of aqueous biphasic extraction is proposed for the first time in flow analysis. This extraction strategy stands out for being environmentally attractive since it is based in the utilization of two immiscible phases that are intrinsically aqueous. The organic solvents of the traditional liquid-liquid extractions are no longer used, being replaced by non-toxic, non-flammable and non-volatile ones. A single interface flow analysis (SIFA) system was implemented to carry out the extraction process due to its favourable operational characteristics that include the high automation level and simplicity of operation, the establishment of a dynamic interface where the mass transfer occurred between the two immiscible aqueous phases, and the versatile control over the extraction process namely the extraction time. The application selected to demonstrate the feasibility of SIFA to perform this aqueous biphasic extraction was the pre-concentration of lead. After extraction, lead reacted with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid and the resulting product was determined by a fluorimetric detector included in the flow manifold. Therefore, the SIFA single interface was used both as extraction (enrichment) and reaction interface.
authors.affiliation: Requimte, Serviço de Química-Física, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Aníbal Cunha 164, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina I C
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Silvestre
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: João L M
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: José L F C
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Elias A G
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Zagatto