Application of mineral-carbon composite in solid-phase extraction of phthalates from water

This study investigates the effectiveness of the mineral-carbon composite (C-HK), synthesized from a sucrose precursor and modified with calcined halloysite through a carbonization process, as a sorbent for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) from aqueous samples, with subsequent analysis performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The adsorptive properties of the studied mineral-carbon composite (C-HK) were characterized using nitrogen adsorption isotherms and scanning electron microscopy, revealing a specific surface area of 42.15 m² g⁻¹ and mesoporosity of 99%. The application of the material in the SPE of six phthalate acid esters (DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, and DOP) resulted in recovery rates ranging from 78% to 100%. Additionally, the composite exhibited good reusability, maintaining recovery values as high as 94% after repeated use without replacing the sorbent. The comparison of the mineral-carbon composite (C-HK) with commercially available sorbents, such as C-18 and Florisil, as well as other materials described in the literature, demonstrated that the C-HK composite achieved higher recovery rates (~10%) for PAEs, emphasizing its effectiveness and suitability for such applications. • Synthesis of mineral-carbon composite based on sucrose precursor and modified by calcinated halloysite subjected to carbonization process • Mineral-carbon composite used as adsorbents in solid-phase extraction technique (SPE) • Phthalates isolation from water samples by SPE mineral-carbon composite adsorbents