Electrospun zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/poly (lactic acid) nanofibers for pipette-tip micro-solid phase extraction of carbamate insecticides from environmental samples

In the present study, electrospun zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/poly(lactic acid) nanofibers were successfully synthesized and characterized as a potential nanosorbent for the pipette-tip micro-solid phase extraction of chlorpropham, pirimicarb, carbaryl, and methiocarb carbamate insecticides from environmental water samples. The extraction procedure was followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry separation and determination of the target analytes. All the effective parameters of the extraction procedure were optimized through the one variable at-a-time method. Thanks to the very simple extraction procedure as well as the application of electrospun nanofibers with high surface area, the four analytes were efficiently extracted with as lowest extraction times as practicable. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration plots of the analytes were obtained within broad linear dynamic ranges of 0.5 - 150 ng mL(-1) for chlorpropham and pirimicarb plus 1.0 - 175 ng mL(-1) for carbaryl and methiocarb, respectively. Besides, limits of detection as low as 0.2 and 0.15 ng mL(-1) for chlorpropham and pirimicarb, respectively, as well as 0.5 ng mL(-1) for carbaryl and methiocarb indicate the favorable sensitivity of the analytical procedure. The applicability of the developed method was evaluated by quantitative determination of the target analytes in four different environmental water samples. Relative recoveries higher than 88.0% shows the acceptable accuracy of the method in the quantitative determination of the four carbamate insecticides. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.