Dispersive solid phase micro-extraction of dopamine from human serum using a nano-structured Ni-Al layered double hydroxide, and its direct determination by spectrofluorometry

We report on a simple method for dispersive solid-phase micro-extraction of dopamine (DA) from human serum. It is based on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) of nickel-aluminum, which acts as the extractant. DA is extracted at pH 8 using the LDH sol solution as a dispersed solid-phase extractor. The extracted DA is quantified by spectrofluorometry at 285 nm excitation and 315 nm emission wavelengths. A comparison of the fluorescence of DA in bulk solution and that of DA intercalated in the LDH revealed a nearly 5-fold improvement in intensity. Factors such as pH, concentration of LDH in the sol solution, and temperature were optimized. Under these conditions, the limit of detection is 0.015 mu g L-1. The inter- and intra-day relative standard deviations for six replicate determinations of 1 mu g L-1 DA were 1.7 and 1.1 %, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of DA in human serum samples.