Determination of malathion by homogeneous liquid-liquid micro extraction via flotation assistance combined with gas chromatography in water samples

Abstract

A new preconcentration method termed, homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction via flotation assistance (HLLME-FA) has been developed for the sensitive determination of Malathion in water samples. In this method, home-designed extraction cell was used for facile collection of organic solvent during the extraction procedure. The novel approach avoids the centrifugation step. In this extraction method, a mixture of toluene (extraction solvent) and acetone (homogeneous solvent) was added into a special vessel after addition of the sample solution. By using air flotation, the organic solvent was collected at the conical part of the designed cell. Parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as type and volume of extraction and homogeneous solvents, ionic strength and extraction time were studied and optimized. The new method (HLLME-FA) provides detection limit of 0.1 µg L -1 and calibration graph was linear in the range of 1.0 - 200 µg L -1 . The results show that HLLME-FA is a suitable method for the determination of Malathion in water samples.