Application of response surface methodology for optimization of metal–organic framework based pipette-tip solid phase extraction of organic dyes from seawater and their determination with HPLC

This paper describes the application of response surface methodology (RSM) to develop a miniaturized metal organic framework based pipette-tip solid phase extraction for the extraction of malachite green (MG), rhodamine B (RB), methyl orange (MO) and acid red 18 (AR) dyes from seawater samples and their determination by high performance liquid chromatography. The effects of various parameters such as pH of the sample solution, type and amount of added salt, type and volume of eluent solvent, concentration of surfactant (triton X-114), sample volume, and number of cycles of extraction and desorption were investigated and optimized by two methods of one-variable-at-a-time and RSM based on Box–Behnken design. Under optimum conditions, the linear range of the method was 0.5–200.0 µg/L for RB and MG and 1.0–150.0 µg/L for AR and MO. Limits of detection of the analytes were obtained in the range of 0.09–0.38 µg/L. Reproducibility of the method (as RSD %) was better than 6.4%. The method has been successfully used for analysis of four dyes in seawater of Chabahar Bay. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13065-019-0572-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.