New sulfonate composite functionalized with multiwalled carbon nanotubes with cryogel solid-phase extraction sorbent for the determination of β-agonists in animal feeds

A new mixed-mode cation-exchange sulfonate composite functionalized with multiwalled carbon nanotubes with polyvinyl alcohol cryogel was fabricated and used for the first time as a solid-phase extraction sorbent for the determination of β-agonists in animal feeds. Feed samples were extracted with 0.20 M phosphoric acid and methanol (1:4, v/v) using ultrasonication, cleaned-up using the developed sorbent to which the β-agonists bound then finally eluted with 5.0% ammonia in methanol and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Various parameters that affected the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the developed sorbent strongly interacted with β-agonists by cationic exchange and hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, that provided a high extraction efficiency in the range of 92.8 ± 3.7-104.4 ± 2.3% over a range of 0.04-2.0 mg/kg for salbutamol and ractopamine, and 0.40-8.0 mg/kg for clenbuterol. The relative standard deviations were less than 6.0%. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of β-agonists in various types of animal feed and effectively reduced any matrix interference.