A bat inspired algorithm with the aid of artificial neural networks (ANN-BA) has been used for the first time in chemistry and food sciences to optimize solvent-terminated dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (ST-DLLME) as a green, fast and low cost technique for determination of Cu2+ ions in water and food samples using p-sulfonatocalix (4) arene as a complexing reagent. For this purpose, the influence of four important factors four factors which was influenced on the extraction efficiency such as salt addition, solution pH and disperser and extraction solvent volumes were investigated. Central composite design (CCD) as a comparative technique was employed for optimization of ST-DLLME efficiency. The ANN-BA optimization technique was regarded as a superior model due to its higher value of extraction efficiency (about 7.21%) compared to CCD method. Under ANN-BA optimal conditions, the limit of quantitation (S/N = 10), limit of detection (S/N = 3) and linear range were 0.35, 0.12 and 0.35-1000 µg L-1, respectively. In these circumstances, the percentage recoveries for drinking tea, apple juice, milk, bottled drinking water, river and well water spiked with 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg L-1 of Cu2+ ions were in the acceptable range (91.4-107.1%). In comparison to other methods, the developed ST-DLLME method showed the lowest solvent and sample consumption, shortest value of extraction time, most suitable determination and detection limits and linear range with simple and low cost apparatus. Additionally, the use of bat inspired algorithm as a powerful metaheuristic algorithm with the aid of artificial networks is another advantage of the present work.
Keywords: Artificial neural networks coupled bat inspired algorithm; Cu2+ ions; Food; Response surface methodology; Solvent terminated dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction; p-Sulfonatocalix (4) arene.