Metal-organic framework-based magnetic dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction for the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry determination of polycyclic aromatic compounds in water samples

A magnetic hybrid material based on the use of the mixed-ligand Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) PUM198 is proposed for the magnetic dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (MD-μSPE) of the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in the US-EPA priority pollutants list. PUM198 is a thermally robust MOF characterized by a doubly interpenetrated microporous framework in which Zn2+ ions and carboxylate groups define 2D planes that are pillared by a bis-pyridine-bis amide ligand containing a biphenyl scaffold. PUM198 revealed to be ideal to adsorb PAHs efficiently through non-covalent interactions. A Plackett-Burman Design followed by a Central Composite Design and the multicriteria method of the desirability functions were applied to find the optimal conditions for the extraction of the investigated PAHs, resulting in a reduced solvent consumption, i.e., 50 μL of solvent per extraction for 5 mL of sample, approximatively 3–20 times lower than those reported in previous studies, thus satisfying the principles of green analytical chemistry. Method validation proved the reliability of the method for the determination of PAHs at trace level, obtaining detection limits in the 6.7–27 ng/L range, good precision with RSDs% lower than 19% and recovery rates in the 99 (±13)–126 (±8)% range near the quantitation limit. Finally, the applicability of the method was demonstrated by analyzing underground water samples taken from contaminated sites