Hydrophilic Polymer Monolithic Capillary Microextraction Online Coupled to ICPMS for the Determination of Carboxyl Group-Containing Gold Nanoparticles in Environmental Waters

In this study, the hydrophilic polymer monolithic capillary (poly(acrylamide-vinylpyridine-methylene bis(acrylamide)), poly(AA-VP-Bis)) was prepared for the separation and enrichment of carboxyl group-containing gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) from environmental waters followed by online ICPMS determination. The extraction mechanism of the prepared poly(AA-VP-Bis) monolithic capillary for Au NPs is based on the static electrical and hydrogen bond interactions between the carboxyl group on the surface of Au NPs and pyridine/amide groups on the surface of the monolith. Under the optimal conditions, a detection limit of 24.2 fmol L-1 and a sample throughput of 6 h(-1) were achieved for 3 nm citrate stabilized Au NPs, and the original morphology of the Au NPs could be maintained during the extraction process. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of carboxyl group-containing Au NPs in environmental water samples, such as tap water, the Yangtze River water, and the East Lake water, with recoveries in the range of 77-103%. Compared with the reported approaches for analysis of Au NPs, this method is an online strategy for carboxyl group-containing Au NPs determination and has the merits of low detection limit, small sample consumption, fast extraction/desorption kinetics, wide linear range, high selectivity, and high throughput.