Applications of fabric phase sorptive extraction to the determination of micropollutants in liquid samples

Abstract

The occurrence of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in the environment is a global concern due to their potential ecological risks. Several studies have shown that some OMPs are widely detected in environmental matrices such as surface water and sewage. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have received international attention over past decades because they are considered the greatest source of aquatic environmental contamination by anthropogenic micropollutants. Intensive sampling and analysis have been globally made to improve understanding of the occurrence, behavior and fate of OMPs in WWTPs using different types of analytical approach. Recently, special awareness has been devoted to developing new effective strategies to extract the micropollutants of wastewater. In particular, microextraction protocols have gained popularity because of their simplicity, low cost and in-field application for environmental analysis. Among these, fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) is reported as an excellent approach due to its properties, not only reducing the required time but also employing minor solvent volume. In this overview, we summarize the results obtained by the Research Group of Environmental Chemical Analysis of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain) using this technique. Its aim is to show the potential of FPSE for the extraction of some micropollutants, such as personal care products (benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs)) and pharmaceuticals (steroid hormones and cytostatic compounds) in different liquid samples, prior to their determination by liquid chromatography.