Magnetic tubular nickel@silica-graphene nanocomposites with high preconcentration capacity for organothiophosphate pesticide removal in environmental water: Fabrication, magnetic solid-phase extraction, and trace detection

Organothiophosphate pesticides (OPPs) are the most common water contaminants, significantly endangering human health and bringing serious public safety issues. Thus, developing effective technologies for the removal or trace detection of OPPs from water is urgent. Herein, a novel graphene-based silica-coated core–shell tubular magnetic nanocomposite (Ni@SiO2-G) was fabricated for the first time and used for the efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of the OPPs chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and fenitrothion from environmental water. The experimental factors affecting extraction efficiency such as adsorbent dosage, extraction time, desorption solvent, desorption mode, desorption time, and adsorbent type were evaluated. The synthesized Ni@SiO2-G nanocomposites showed a higher preconcentration capacity than the Ni nanotubes, Ni@SiO2 nanotubes, and graphene. Under the optimized conditions, 5 mg of tubular nano-adsorbent displayed good linearity within the range of 0.1–1 μg·mL–1, low limits of detection (0.04–0.25 pg·mL–1), low limits of quantification (0.132–0.834 pg·mL−1), good reusability (n = 5; relative standard deviations between 1.46% and 9.65%), low dosage (5 mg), and low real detection concentration (< 3.0 ng·mL−1). Moreover, the possible interaction mechanism was investigated by density functional theory calculation. Results showed that Ni@SiO2-G was a potential magnetic material for the preconcentration and extraction of formed OPPs at ultra-trace levels from environmental water. [Display omitted] •1D tubular Ni@SiO2 magnetic nanocomposites combined by graphene were successfully fabricated.•High preconcentration capacity for OPPs in environmental water was obtained.•The ultra-trace LODs of three OPPs achieved in the range of 0.04–0.25 pg·mL−1.•Adsorption mechanism was researched by DFT calculation, adsorption behaviors and condition experiments.