High-performance polyethylene glycol-coated solid-phase microextraction fibers using sol–gel technology

The sol–gel method is applied for the preparation of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers. An electron microscopy experiment suggested a porous structure for Superox-4 (polyethylene glycol, PEG) coating. SPME–GC analyses provided evidence that the sol–gel fibers have some advantages, such as high velocities of mass transfer, efficient extraction rates, high thermal stability, long life span, and spacious range of application for both polar and non-polar analytes. Efficient SPME–GC analyses of benzene–toluene–ethylbenzene–xylenes, phenols, phthalic diesters, naphthalene congeners and pesticides were achieved using sol–gel-coated PEG fibers.