This paper describes a new approach for the determination of amitriptyline in wastewater by ionic liquid based immersed droplet microextraction (IL-IDME) prior to high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C6MIM][PF6]) was used as an ionic liquid. Various factors that affect extraction, such as volume of ionic liquid, stirring rate, extraction time, pH of the aqueous solution and salting effect, were optimized. The optimal conditions were as follows: microextraction time, 10 min; stirring rate, 720 rpm; pH, 11; ionic drop volume, 100 µL; and no sodium chloride addition. In quantitation experiments the method showed linearity in a range from 0.01 to10 µg mL−1, limits of detection; 0.004 µg/mL−1 and an excellent pre-concentration factor; PF=1100. Finally, the method was successfully applied to the determination of amitriptyline in the hospital wastewater samples.

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