Developing and applying graphene-based biosorbents in vacuum-assisted headspace thin-film microextraction (Vac-HS-TFME) for contaminants assessment in food matrices

• Grant number: 25/04248-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Mauro Lanças
• Grantee: Rafael Oliveira Martins
• Supervisor: Elefteria Psillakis
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Technical University Of Crete, Greece
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/15675-5 - Preparation, characterization, and applications of chitosan-graphene oxide hybrid sorbents in automated microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS): evaluation of residues and contaminants in food matrices, BP.PD

Abstract

The extensive use of chemical compounds in agriculture and livestock has raised concerns about their presence in food and potential risks to human health. Fish cultivation, impacted by pesticides and antibiotics, contributes to this issue as these contaminants can accumulate in fish and reach humans through consumption. This has led to the development of advanced analytical methods for accurately detecting contaminants in food matrices. Solid-based miniaturized protocols, in particular, have gained attention for their ability to pre-concentrate and clean samples while supporting green analytical strategies using minimal sample amounts and solvent volumes. Among these, vacuum-assisted headspace thin-film microextraction (Vac-HS-TFME) enhances the kinetic extraction of volatile or semi-volatile compounds by reducing pressure and increasing affinity for the headspace without needing solvents. Combining vacuum and solid support in thin-film form facilitates efficient extraction of analytes from the headspace. Recent research has focused on graphene-based materials and their still non-explored potential for Vac-HS-TFME applications due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as high surface area and thermal stability, as well as their potential for modification to create novel materials. Modifying graphene with biopolymers like chitosan and cellulose can create hybrid materials with untapped potential for Vac-HS-TFME in food contaminant analysis. Therefore, this project aims to propose, for the first time, the fabrication and application of graphene-based biosorbents of chitosan and cellulose in the Vac-HS-TFME protocol for evaluating contaminants in fish matrices.