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A novel and rapid solventless microwave-assisted extraction coupled with low-density solvent-based in-tube ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction has been developed for the efficient determination of nine organophosphorus pesticides in soils by GC analysis with microelectron capture detection. A specially designed, homemade glass tube inbuilt with a scaled capillary tube was used as an extraction device to collect and measure the separated extractant phase easily. Parameters affecting the efficiencies of the developed method were thoroughly investigated. From experimental results, the following conditions were selected for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides from 1.0 g of soil sample to 5 m L of aqueous solution under 226 W of microwave irradiation for 2.5 min followed by ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction with 20 μ L toluene for 30 s and then centrifugation at 3200 rpm for 3 min. Detections were linear in the range of 0.25-10 ng/g with detection limits between 0.04 and 0.13 ng/g for all target analytes. The applicability of the method to real samples was assessed on agricultural contaminated soils and the recoveries ranged between 91.4 and 101.3%. Compared to other methods, the present method was shown to be highly competitive in terms of sensitivity, cost, eco-friendly nature, and analysis speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An in-syringe ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction (USAEME) was developed for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) from water samples. The OPPs subsequently analyzed gas chromatography (GC) using a microelectron capture detector (μECD). Ultrasound radiation was applied to accelerate the emulsification of μL-level low-density organic solvent in aqueous solutions to enhance the microextraction efficiency of OPPs in the sample preparation for GC-μECD. Parameters affecting the efficiency of USAEME, such as the extraction solvent, solvent volume, pH, salt-addition, and extraction time were thoroughly investigated. Based on experimental results, OPPs were extracted from a 5mL aqueous sample by the addition of 20μL toluene as the extraction solvent, followed by ultrasonication for 30s, and then centrifugation for 3min at 3200rpm, offered the best extraction efficiency. Detections were linear in the concentration of 0.01–1μg/L with detection limits between 1ng/L and 2ng/L for OPPs. Enrichment factors ranged from 330 to 699. Three spiked aqueous samples were analyzed, and recovery ranged from 90.1% to 104.7% for farm-field water, and 90.1% to 101.8% for industrial wastewater. The proposed method provides a simple, rapid, sensitive, inexpensive, and eco-friendly process for determining OPPs in water samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]