UiO-66(Zr) as sorbent for porous membrane protected micro-solid-phase extraction androgens and progestogens in environmental water samples coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis: The application of experimental and molecular simulation method

Four water stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), MIL-101(Cr), MIL-100(Fe), MIL-53(Al), and UiO-66(Zr), were used as adsorbents for concentration of four androgens and progestogens from water. The adsorption abilities of target analytes on the four MOFs were investigated by experimental and molecular simulation strategies, and UiO-66(Zr) was ultimately selected as the sorbent to develop a porous membrane protected micro-solid-phase extraction (mu-SPE) method for simultaneous extraction androgens and progestogens in environmental water samples followed by LC-MS/MS detection. Several variables affecting the extraction efficiency were systematically investigated, including pH, salt concentration, extraction time, kind of desorption solvent, and desorption time. Under the optimized conditions, excellent linearity was obtained in the range of 20.32-2032 ng/L for T, 10.24-1024 ng/L for P, 7.624-762.4 ng/L for TP, and 8.376-837.6 ng/L for MPA. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) were 10 ng/L and 20 ng/L for T, 4.0 ng/L and 10 ng/L for P, 2.0 ng/L and 7.0 ng/L for TP, and 3.0 ng/L and 8.0 ng/L for MPA, respectively. The recoveries were ranged from 80.5% to 102.4%. Furthermore, the mu-SPE device could be used for at least 10 extractions (RSD < 10.0%). Meanwhile, comparison was made with solid-phase extraction, and the developed method was demonstrated to be a convenient and eco-friendly pretreatment method for water samples.