Cobalt metal–organic framework-based ZIF-67 for the trace determination of herbicide molinate by ion mobility spectrometry: investigation of different morphologies

Co-MOF-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-67) with various morphologies were prepared via an innovative way under distinct reaction conditions. By changing the reaction conditions, including the cobalt source, solvent, time, temperature, and linking agent to the cobalt ions, the morphological evolution of Co-MOF-based ZIF-67 was investigated. The Co-MOF-based ZIF-67 was applied as an adsorbent fiber in the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique for extracting a herbicide, namely molinate (as a test compound), in aqueous samples. For recognizing the molinate molecules, drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) was employed as a sensitive, rapid, and simple detection technique. Two essential parameters, namely extraction temperature and extraction time, influenced the extraction efficiency, and these parameters were also analyzed and optimized. The linear dynamic range (LDR) and the determination coefficient were found to be 0.5–20.0 μg L(−1) and 0.9990, respectively. In this regard, the limit of quantification (LOQ) and the detection limit (LOD) were calculated and found to be 0.5 μg L(−1) and 0.15 μg L(−1), respectively. Finally, the effect of the adsorbent with different morphologies on the extraction efficiency was compared.