New approaches to extraction techniques in determination of 4,4′-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) in air and water solutions

Extraction techniques for 4,4′-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) in air samples and water solutions were developed and compared. Classic techniques for air sampling of MOCA were enhanced by incorporating a derivatization step (3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride solution in toluene), thus increasing the limit of detection and limit of quantification. Sampling of MOCA from water solution was performed using novel nanoporous polymeric (polypyrrole and polythiophene) fiber coatings and solid phase microextraction. Samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a UV detector. Using the modified method for air sampling of MOCA, we found that the limit of detection was 7.90 ng m−3 and the limit of quantification was 23.8 ng m−3. In contrast, the limit of detection for MOCA in water samples was 11.26 ng mL−1 (polypyrrole) and 84.62 ng mL−1 (polythiophene) and the limit of quantification for MOCA was from 33.78 (polypyrrole) and 253.86 ng mL−1 (polythiophene). Correlation coefficients were 0.9997 for air and 0.8790–0.9852 for water samples, respectively. The techniques presented provide alternative methods for the determination of MOCA in air samples and in water solutions that are more sensitive, quicker and less expensive than previously established procedures.