Centrifugation-assisted solid phase extraction using pipette-tips filled with nanofibers to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in river water

For the first time, polymer nanofibers filled in pipette tip format were used to extract polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from river water. Centrifugal force was used to push the sample through the sorbent, thereby increasing the speed and throughput of the extraction process. A broad range of almost 30 different nanofibrous materials, including various polymers and their coated counterparts, were evaluated to identify the most efficient sorbent. Biodegradable polycaprolactone nanofibers provided the best recovery rates (72–127%) with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 2.7–6.4%. The method exhibited linearity from 0.1 to 5 µg L⁻¹ for most analytes (R² > 0.9994), except for dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (R² = 0.9981). Preconcentration factors ranged from 2.9 to 5.1. Intra- and inter-day repeatability tests confirmed stability and reusability of the sorbent for multiple extractions. The high permeability of polycaprolactone nanofibers allows for short contact times while maintaining high recoveries. The centrifuge-assisted setup enables the processing of up to 48 samples per run. Our approach provides a practical alternative for extracting hydrophobic analytes from water.