Optimization of simultaneous derivatization and extraction of aliphatic amines in water samples with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by HPLC

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO) with simultaneous derivatization followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was applied for preconcentration and determination of primary and secondary aliphatic amines in environmental water samples. A ternary mixture consisting of a disperser, an extractant and a derivatization reagent was used for the simultaneous derivatization and extraction of aliphatic amines in different water samples. The effects of various experimental parameters on derivatization and extraction efficiency were studied simultaneously using experimental design. A Plackett-Burman design was performed for screening of variables in order to determine the significant variables affecting the extraction efficiency. Then, the significant factors were optimized by using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) and the response surface equations were derived. Under optimal conditions, the preconcentration factors were between 210 and 290. The limit of detections (LODs) ranged from 0.005 to 0.02 mu g/L and dynamic linear ranges (DLRs) of 0.05-500 and 0.1-500 mu g/L were obtained for most of analytes. The performance of the method was evaluated for extraction and determination of primary and secondary aliphatic amines in environmental water samples in micrograms per liter and satisfactory results were obtained (RSDs <12.5%).