Supercritical fluid extraction followed by supramolecular solvent microextraction as a fast and efficient preconcentration method for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in apple peels.

In this work, reverse micelle-based supramolecular solvent microextraction method coupled with supercritical fluid extraction and used for determining trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in apple peels. The extract was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a fluorescence detector. Coupling supramolecular solvent microextraction with supercritical fluid extraction method, resolve low preconcentration factor of supercritical fluid extraction method, improved limit of detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and allow the use of supramolecular solvent microextraction in solid matrices. The effective parameters on the supramolecular solvent microextraction and supercritical fluid extraction efficiency were optimized using one variable at a time and face centered design methods, respectively. Under the optimum condition, the limits of detection and limits of quantifications were in the range of 0.34-1.27 and 1.03-3.82 µg/kg, respectively. Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in apple peels showed that the supercritical fluid extraction/ supramolecular solvent microextraction method provide great potential for trace analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fruit samples (RSDs < 7.7%).
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