An investigation of parameters affecting solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the quantitative determination of nonylphenol polyethoxylate surfactantsAn investigation of parameters affecting solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the quantitative determination of nonylphenol polyethoxylate surfactants Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-11-152011enThe aim of the research was to apply the solid-phase microextraction method (SPME) as a sample pretreatment method for the separation and quantitative determination of the oligomers that are present in a nonylphenol polyethoxylate commercial surfactant mixture (Imbentin-N/63). An immersion SPME-HPLC method was used for the analysis of commercial mixtures of surfactants. The analytes were separated and quantified by an HPLC system equipped with an SPME-HPLC interface and a fluorescence detector. Critical parameters that affect the extraction efficiency such as the fiber coating material and the concentration of the organic solvent were optimized. The compounds were successfully isolated using 60 μm PDMS/DVB coating. Linearity of the SPME-HPLC method was in the range of 0.9-200 [ig L-1. The limits of detection of the SPMEHPLC method were around 0.67 μg L-1 with different values for each ethoxamer. Samples from the Chania (Crete, Greece) Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant were analyzed for the presence of nonylphenol ethoxylates. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Fresenius environmental bulletin201206-212 Klontza Eleftheria Environmental quality management Protection of environment environmental protection environmental quality management protection of environment