title: Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for metals enrichment: a useful strategy for improving sensitivity of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in liquid samples analysis.
abstract: A rapid and efficient Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME) followed by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy detection (LIBS) was evaluated for simultaneous determination of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn in water samples. Metals in the samples were extracted with tetrachloromethane as pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) complexes, using vortex agitation to achieve dispersion of the extractant solvent. Several DLLME experimental factors affecting extraction efficiency were optimized with a multivariate approach. Under optimum DLLME conditions, DLLME-LIBS method was found to be of about 4.0-5.5 times more sensitive than LIBS, achieving limits of detection of about 3.7-5.6 times lower. To assess accuracy of the proposed DLLME-LIBS procedure, a certified reference material of estuarine water was analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science and University Institute of Materials, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99-03080, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science and University Institute of Materials, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99-03080, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Selva
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science and University Institute of Materials, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99-03080, Alicante, Spain. Electronic address: montserrat.hidalgo@ua.es.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science and University Institute of Materials, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99-03080, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canals
keywords: Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction; LIBS analysis; Liquid samples; Trace metals determination