ABSTRACT
A cloud point extraction (CPE) process using non-ionic surfactant (DC193C) to extract selected paraben compounds from water samples was investigated using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The CPE process with the presence of ß-cyclodextrin (ßCD) functionalized ionic liquid as a modifier (CPE-DC193C-ßCD-IL) is a new extraction technique that has been applied on the optimization of parameters, i.e., pH, ßCD-IL concentration and phase volume ratio. This CPE-DC193C-ßCD-IL method is facilitated at 30 °C, showing great losses of water content in the surfactant-rich phase, resulting in a high pre-concentration factor and high distribution coefficient. The developed method CPE-DC193C-ßCD-IL did show enhanced properties compared to the CPE method without the modifier (CPE-DC193C). The developed method of CPE-DC193C-ßCD-IL gives an excellent performance on the detection of parabens from water samples with the limit of detection falling in the range of 0.013-0.038 µg mL-1. Finally, the inclusion complex formation, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction between the ßCD-IL, benzyl paraben (ArP), and DC 193C were proven using 1H NMR and 2D NOESY spectroscopy.
