Application of solvent microextraction to the analysis of nitroaromatic explosives in water samples

The application of solvent microextraction to the analysis of nitroaromatic explosives is presented. Extraction of 11 nitroaromatics was achieved by s uspending 1 mul of organic solvent to the tip of a microsyringe in a stirre d aqueous solution. Parameters such as extraction solvent, stirring rate, s alt concentration and sampling time were studied and optimized. The limits of detection using bench-top quadrupole mass spectrometry and short extract ion times (15 min) were found to be between 0.08 and 1.3 mug/l and the rela tive standard deviations ranged between 4.3 and 9.8%. Although precision an d accuracy of quantification of the method are still needed, solvent microe xtraction proved to be a fast, simple and inexpensive tool for preconcentra tion and matrix isolation of nitroaromatics on a microscale. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.