Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction for the Preconcentration of Multiple Classes of Pesticides in Water

Abstract

A simple, rapid, efficient, and environmentally friendly method was developed for the preconcentration of atrazine, simazine, diuron, bentazone, tebuconazole, and fipronil from water. Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was employed with determination by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The volumes of extraction and disperser solvents, the concentration of sodium chloride, and the pH were optimized by response surface methodology. The optimum conditions involved the use of 150 µL of 1:1 (v/v) monochlorobenzene:dichlorobenzene as the extraction solvent, 2 mL acetonitrile as the disperser solvent, and 10 mL of sample at pH 3.0. The accuracy was evaluated in terms of recovery values that were from 54 to 112%. The relative standard deviations ranged from 4 to 27%. The limits of quantification were between 0.005 and 0.05 µg L⁻¹. The optimized method had low matrix effects for the analytes and the results demonstrated application for the determination of pesticides in water.

Keywords::

• Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction
• DLLME
• LC–MS/MS
• Liquid chromatography–Tandem mass spectrometry
• Pesticides
• Water