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

Abstract

Eleven phenolic compounds considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be priority pollutants are extracted and determined in different water samples. The method involves the extraction and clean-up step of target compounds by solid-phase microextraction and micellar desorption (SPME-MD) and a second step of determination by liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Different fibers and surfactants are evaluated for the analysis of these target analytes in water samples. In the optimum conditions for the SPME process, recoveries for the target compounds are between 80% and 109%; relative standard deviations are lower than 10%, and detection limits are in the range 0.3-3.5 ng/mL. The main advantages of this method are the combination of time and efficiency, safety, and an environmentally friendly process for sample extraction prior to instrumental determination. This demonstrates that SPME-MD can be used as an alternative to traditional methods for the extraction and determination of priority phenolic compounds in natural waters from different origins.