Au nanoparticles as a novel coating for solid-phase microextraction

A novel solid-phase microextraction fiber based on a stainless steel wire coated with Au nanoparticles was prepared and has been applied, coupled with gas chromatography, to the extraction of aromatic hydrophobic organic chemical pollutants in rainwater and soil extract. The solid-phase microextraction fiber exhibited excellent extraction efficiency and selectivity. Effects of extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength, stirring rate and desorption conditions were investigated and optimized. Single fiber repeatability and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility were less than 7.90% and 26.40%, respectively. The calibration curves were linear in a wide range for all analytes. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9941 to 0.9993. The as-established SPME-GC method was used successfully to two real natural samples. Recovery of analytes spiked at 10 mu g L-1 and 100 mu g L-1 ranged from 78.4% to 119.9% and the relative standard deviations were less than 11.3%. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.