High extraction efficiency for polar aromatic compounds in natural water samples using multiwalled carbon nanotubes/Nafion solid-phase microextraction coating.

A novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/Nafion was developed and applied for the extraction of polar aromatic compounds (PACs) in natural water samples. The characteristics and the application of this fiber were investigated. Electron microscope photographs indicated that the MWCNTs/Nafion coating with average thickness of 12.5microm was homogeneous and porous. The MWCNTs/Nafion coated fiber exhibited higher extraction efficiency towards polar aromatic compounds compared to an 85microm commercial PA fiber. SPME experimental conditions, such as fiber coating, extraction time, stirring rate, desorption temperature and desorption time, were optimized in order to improve the extraction efficiency. The calibration curves were linear from 0.01 to 10microgmL(-1) for five PACs studied except p-nitroaniline (from 0.005 to 10microgmL(-1)) and m-cresol (from 0.001 to 10microgmL(-1)), and detection limits were within the range of 0.03-0.57ngmL(-1). Single fiber and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility were less than 7.5 (n=7) and 10.0% (n=5), respectively. The recovery of the PACs spiked in natural water samples at 1microgmL(-1) ranged from 83.3 to 106.0%.