Application of magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction combined with solidification of floating organic droplet-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and GC-MS in the extraction and determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in honey

Abstract

A magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction method combined with solidification of floating organic droplet-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been validated for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from honey samples. For this purpose, a carbonised cellulose–ferromagnetic nanocomposite was used as a sorbent through the magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction. For preparation of the sorbent, first, carbonised cellulose nanoparticles were created by treating cellulose filter paper with concentrated solution of sulfuric acid. Then, the prepared nanoparticles were loaded onto Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles through coprecipitation. In the extraction process, first, a few mg of the sorbent was added to the diluted honey solution and dispersed in it using vortex agitation. The particles were then separated and the adsorbed analytes were eluted with an organic solvent. The eluent was taken and after mixing with a water–immiscible extraction solvent was used in the following solidification of floating organic droplet-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure. By performing the extraction process under the obtained optimum conditions, low limits of detection (0.08–0.17 ng g⁻¹) and quantification (0.27–0.57 ng g⁻¹), satisfactory precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 5.0%), and wide linear range (0.57–500 ng g⁻¹) with great coefficients of determination (r²≥ 0.9986) were obtained.

Keywords:

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• honey
• gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
• magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction
• carbonised cellulose–ferromagnetic nanocomposite

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Research Council of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences for the financial support (Grant Number: 4020393).