Implementation of solid-phase microextraction with micellar desorption method for priority phenolic compound determination in natural waters

Abstract

Eleven phenolic compounds considered by the EnvironmentalProtection Agency to be priority pollutants are extracted anddetermined in different water samples. The method involves theextraction and clean-up step of target compounds by solid-phasemicroextraction and micellar desorption (SPME–MD) and a secondstep of determination by liquid chromatography with diode arraydetection. Different fibers and surfactants are evaluated for theanalysis of these target analytes in water samples. In the optimumconditions for the SPME process, recoveries for the targetcompounds are between 80% and 109%; relative standarddeviations are lower than 10%, and detection limits are in therange 0.3–3.5 ng/mL. The main advantages of this method are thecombination of time and efficiency, safety, and an environmentallyfriendly process for sample extraction prior to instrumentaldetermination. This demonstrates that SPME–MD can be used as analternative to traditional methods for the extraction anddetermination of priority phenolic compounds in natural waters from different origins.