Automation of SPE

Online application of SPE methodology in combination with GC originated from coupled LC-GC, where small volumes from the EC eluent were transferred through a modified GC autosampler. Benefits are in the automation of SPE procedures. In online SPE trace-enrichment techniques the extraction cartridges are called precolumns. In this approach, small columns (1 to... 

Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a very simple, rapid and reproducible cleanup technique that is now widely accepted as an alternative to the time-consuming liquid-liquid extractions. Additionally, SPE uses relatively small volumes of solvents, and is easy to automate. It is available in a number of different formats, including cartridges, disks, loose material, well plates or SPME using film-coated capillaries. SPE can be considered as an extraction technique when used for isolation and concentration or a cleanup technique when used to remove co-extractives from solvent extracts. The use of SPE for cleanup is discussed later. 

Principles and Characteristics Although early published methods using SPE for sample preparation avoided use of GC because of the reported lack of cleanliness of the extraction device, SPE-GC is now a mature technique. Off-line SPE-GC is well documented [62,63] but less attractive, mainly in terms of analyte detectability (only an aliquot of the extract is injected into the chromatograph), precision, miniaturisation and automation, and solvent consumption. The interface of SPE with GC consists of a transfer capillary introduced into a retention gap via an on-column injector. Automated SPE may be interfaced to GC-MS using a PTV injector for large-volume injection [64]. LVI actually is the basic and critical step in any SPE-to-GC transfer of analytes. Suitable solvents for LVI-GC include pentane, hexane, methyl- and ethylacetate, and diethyl or methyl-f-butyl ether. Large-volume PTV permits injection of some 100 iL of sample extract, a 100-fold increase compared to conventional GC injection. Consequently, detection limits can be improved by a factor of 100, without... 

Klink [135] recently discussed sample preparation procedures for LC-MS. SPE can be so well integrated into the concept of LC-MS, that in many automated applications no clear distinction exists between SPE and LC [135]. In on-line LC-MS mode, the possibilities for changing the eluent are rather limited, because of the tolerance of the eluent for the interface. Moreover, the conventional gradient mode may lead to strong fluctuations in the response of the MS detector. Here the off-line mode, using SPE for concentration followed by selective elution, enables very far-reaching preseparation, due to the differences in the polarity of the eluents applied and their mixtures. Although the overall benefits of SPE for LC-MS applications are positive, extracts... 

Solid Phase Sorbents. Solid Phase Extraction Formats. Automated Solid Phase Extraction. Solid Phase Microextraction. Applications of SPE and SPME. 

Application of SPE to sample clean-up started in 1977 with the introduction of disposable cartridges packed with silica-based bonded phase sorbents. The solid phase extraction term was devised in 1982. The most commonly cited advantages of SPE over liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) as practiced on a macroscale include the reduced time and labor requirements, use of much lower volumes of solvents, minimal risk of emulsion formation, selectivity achievable when desired, wide choices of sorbents, and amenability to automation. The principle of operation consists of four steps (1) conditioning of the sorbent with a solvent and water or buffer, (2) loading of the sample in an aqueous or aqueous low organic medium, (3) washing away unwanted components with a suitable combination of solvents, and (4) elution of the desired compound with an appropriate organic solvent. 

Automated online SPE systems have been applied to various phases of drug discovery. McLoughlin et al. (1997) utilized the Prospekt system in pharmacokinetic animal studies for rapid drug candidate screening. Up to 10 compounds were simultaneously monitored. The lower limits of detection were... 

Automated online SPE LC systems are used extensively for environmental assays. Trays of SPE cartridges and autosampler can be used in the field. Water samples are preconcentrated trays of SPE cartridges loaded with analytes are brought to the laboratory and mounted onto an online SPE LC/ MS/MS system for analysis. Prospekt and Symbiosis systems were used for monitoring herbicides and transformation products (Hogenboom et al. 1998,1999a and b Lopez-Roldan et al. 2004 Kato et al. 2003 Lacorte and Barcelo 1995 Ferrer and Barcelo 1999,2001 Riediker et al. 2002), phenols... 

Calderoli S. et al., 2003. LC-MS-MS determination of brostallicin in human plasma following automated online SPE. J Pharm BiomedAnal 32 601. 

Papadopouluo-Mourkidou E. et al., 2001. Use of an automated online SPE-HPLC method to monitor caffeine and selected aniline and phenol compounds in aquatic systems of Macedonia-Thrace, Greece. Frese-nius J Anal Chem 371 491. 

As a consequence of the development of extraction methods for STA based on mixed-mode SPE columns, as well as of the recent introduction of instruments for the automated sample preparation allowing efficient evaporation and derivatization of the extracts, full automation of STA methods based on GC-MS analysis is also available. It needs GC-MS instalments equipped with an HP PrepStation System. The samples directly injected by the PrepStation are analyzed by full scan GC-MS. Using macrocommands, peak identification and reporting of the results are also automated. Each ion of interest is automatically selected, retention time is calculated, and the peak area is determined. All data are checked for interference, peak selection, and baseline determination. 

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is effectively a miniamrised version of SPE. Instead of using a packed cartridge, a rod is typically used, which is coated with the stationary phase. This is dipped into a solution of the analyte and allowed to extract for a pre-determined period of time. After this incubation period, the rod is removed from the solution and may be inserted directly into the injection system of the GC or HPLC. All of these operations can be automated on an autosampler. Clearly, the success of this technique depends intimately on the affinity of the analyte for the stationary phase. Frost, Hussain and Raghani [34] used SPME with GC-FID to measure benzyl chloride and chloroethylmethyl ether (amongst other process impurities) in pharmaceutical preparations. 

Equipment available (HPLC, automated PSU, SPE, flow probe, high-field spectrometer) will determine the overall LC-NMR sensitivity and levels of impurities that can be analysed. For low-level impurities the time required for multiple trapping on SPE cartridges may also need to be considered [84]. 

Adaptation of SPE for automated online extraction prior to HPLC analysis 327... 

For online coupling of SPE with HPLC it is possible to use more automated equipment, such as the Prospekt (Spark Holland, Netherlands) or the OSP-2 (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany). Both systems have been validated for determining 11 OPPs at a level of 0.1 /rg/L or lower in water, with good results (49-52). 

Selected data published by Patsias and Papadopoulou-Mourkidou [114] illustrate sorption s dependence on sample volume (Figure 2.36). Their research pursues development of an automated online SPE-HPLC methodology for analysis of substituted anilines and phenols. Recovery (%) was measured for numerous compounds on various polymeric sorbents, but the only data presented here are those in which a styrene-divinylbenzene polymeric sorbent was used for analysis of aniline, phenol, 4-nitroaniline, and 4-nitrophenol. Aqueous sample volumes of 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 mL were acidified to pH 3 before SPE. 

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) has evolved to be an important sample preparation technique, due to its ease of automation, high analyte recovery, and excellent selectivity. The commercial availability of compact SPE devices with a wide selection of sorbent materials adds to their attraction. A major advantage of SPE is that multiple samples can be prepared in parallel using low volumes of solvents. 

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