Application of passive sampling devices based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the isolation of selected pharmaceuticals and phenolic compounds in water samples - possibilities and limitations.

Nowadays, carbon nanotubes, as commercially available materials, have attracted great attention because of their unique physicochemical properties, especially their strong adsorption abilities. This paper deals with the possibilities and limitations of the application of multi-walled carbon nanotubes as an alternative sorbent in passive sampling devices for the isolation of selected pharmaceuticals and phenolic compounds directly in water samples. Compounds with different properties, including sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, p-nitrophenol, 17-β-estradiol, 3,5-dichlorophenol and diclofenac were selected as model compounds. Firstly, the influence of several parameters on the extraction efficiency was defined, then the matrix effect and standard validation parameters were established. Under optimized conditions, the proposed analytical methods exhibited good validation parameters, including excellent linearity with R >0.999, the LODs were found to be between 0.01-0.5μgL and the LOQ ranged from 0.05 to 1.5μgL. Recovery values obtained for model compounds were 79,8±0.2% for sulfapyridine, 41,5±0.1% for sulfamethoxazole, 96,6±1,5% for carbamazepine, 70,5±0.1% for p-nitrophenol, 77,1±0.5% for 17-β-estradiol, 103,1±1.8% for 3,5-dichlorophenol and 76,3±1.4% for diclofenac. This study provides useful data regarding the sorption process on MWCNTs and definitely evaluates the application potential of these types of sorbents in passive sampling devices.