Self-rotating stir mesh screen sorptive extraction for analyzing chlorpyrifos by ion mobility spectrometry

Abstract

A mesh screen was electrochemically coated with polypyrrole and used as a sorptive extractor device, for the first time. This configuration acts in such a way that it is self-rotating in the presence of a magnetic force and can be used for extraction and concentration of analytes. Actually, applying a mesh screen instead of a bar or plate in sorptive extraction provided a more effective contact area between the sorptive materials and sample solution, resulting in higher sorption efficiency. The device performance was assessed by using chlorpyrifos pesticide as a model analyte. A thermal desorption unit was coupled to an ion mobility spectrometer and applied for evaporating the extracted analyte. Different parameters affecting the extraction efficiency during the electro-polymerization and the extraction process, including the time of electrodeposition, the concentration of pyrrole, oxalic acid and salt, temperature and time of extraction, and the stirring rate of the extractor device were investigated and optimized, simultaneously. The detection and quantification limits of the method were calculated to be 0.035 and 0.1 μg L⁻¹, respectively. The linear dynamic range obtained was from 0.1 to 20 μg L⁻¹, with a determination coefficient of 0.9984. The intra-day and inter-day-relative standard deviations (RSD, n = 3) were lower than 3% and 8%, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the absolute recovery and the enrichment factor were found to be 97% and 5820, respectively. Finally, the relative recoveries of the proposed method were calculated to be in the range of 86–111% for spiked water, wastewater, and apple samples. The results obtained from the method were validated by EPA method 622.