Improved method for quantification of persistent organic pollutants and its remediation using modified clays materials

This study reports a direct immersion solid-phase microextraction method (DI-SPME) for the analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), especially pesticide endosulfan, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) present at trace levels in water samples. The identification and quantification was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The optimized and validated methodology showed LOQs for endosulfan α and endosulfan β of 916.0 and 126.0 ng L−1 respectively, and for 2,3,7,8-TCDD of 10.0 ng L−1. Subsequently bentonite and vermiculite materials modified with cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) (B3CTA, B7CTA and B15CTA; V3CTA, V7CTA and V15CTA) were prepared, characterized and studied for the remediation of POPs in water. [Display omitted] •Development of selective, linear and precise method to extract POPs from environmental water;•Validation of SPME – GC/MS method to quantify pesticides and dioxins simultaneously in water;•Bentonite and vermiculite materials modified with CTA+ were prepared, characterized and evaluated as adsorbents of POPs.