Binary-solvent-based ionic-liquid-assisted surfactant-enhanced emulsification microextraction for the determination of four fungicides in apple juice and apple vinegar.

A binary-solvent-based ionic-liquid-assisted surfactant-enhanced emulsification microextraction method was developed for the separation/preconcentration and determination of four fungicides (pyrimethanil, fludioxonil, cyprodynil, pyraclostrobin) in apple juice and apple vinegar. A nonchlorinated solvent amyl acetate, which has a lower density than water, was used as the extraction solvent, and an ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, which has a high density and low toxicity, was used as a secondary solvent mixed with the extraction solvent. After centrifugation, the binary solvent drop with a relatively high density was deposited on the bottom of the tube. Some parameters influencing the extraction efficiency of analytes such as type of extraction solvent, ratio of ionic liquid, volume of mixed solvent, type and concentration of surfactant, sample pH, NaCl concentration, and vortex time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method provided a good linearity in the range of 5-200 μg/L. The limits of quantification of the method were in the range of 2-5 μg/L. The relative standard deviations for interday assays were 1.7-11.9%. The method was applied to the determination of pyrimethanil, fludioxonil, cyprodynil, and pyraclostrobin in apple juice and apple vinegar samples, and the accuracy was evaluated through recovery experiments.