title: Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets as adsorbents for solid-phase extraction of polychlorinated biphenyls from water samples.
abstract: The adsorptive potential of hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNNSs) for solid-phase extraction (SPE) of pollutants was investigated for the first time. Seven indicators of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were selected as target analytes. The adsorption of PCBs on the surface of the h-BNNSs in water was simulated by the density functional theory and molecular dynamics. The simulation results indicated that the PCBs are adsorbed on the surface by π-π, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions. The PCBs were extracted with an h-BNNS-packed SPE cartridge, and eluted by dichloromethane. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry working in the multiple reaction monitor mode was used for the sample quantification. The effect of extraction parameters, including the flow rate, pH value, breakthrough volume, and the ionic strength, were investigated. Under the optimal working conditions, the developed method showed low limits of detection (0.24-0.50 ng L(-1); signal-to-noise ratio = 3:1), low limits of quantification (0.79-1.56 ng L(-1); signal-to-noise ratio = 10:1), satisfactory linearity (r > 0.99) within the concentration range of 2-1000 ng L(-1), and good precision (relative standard deviation < 12%). The PCBs concentration in environmental water samples was determined by the developed method. This results demonstrate that h-BNNSs have high analytical potential in the enrichment of pollutants.
authors: Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
authors: Shiliang
authors: S
authors: Jia
authors: Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
authors: Zhenhua
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Ding
authors: Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors: Y-L
authors: YL
authors: Elaine Wong
authors: Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, PR China; Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: xiangfchensdas@163.com.
authors: Xiangfeng
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors: Guangyu
authors: G
authors: Qiu
authors: Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: twdchan@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors: T-W
authors: TW
authors: Dominic Chan
keywords: Adsorption; Boron nitride nanosheets; Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Solid-Phase extraction