Single-drop liquid phase microextraction accelerated by surface acoustic wave

A single-drop liquid phase microextraction method is presented, in which surface acoustic wave (SAW) is used for accelerating extraction speed. A pair of interdigital transducers with 27.5 MHz center frequency is fabricated on a 128° yx-LiNbO3 substrate. A radio frequency signal is applied to one of interdigital transducers to excite SAW. Plastic straw is filled with PDMS, leaving 1 mL for holding sample solution. Plastic straw with sample solution droplet is then dipping into extractant, into which SAW is radiated. Mass transportation from sample solution to extractant drop is accelerated due to acoustic streaming, and extraction time is decreased. An ionic liquid and an acid green-25 solution are used for extraction experiments. Results show that the extraction process is almost finished within 2 min, and extraction speed is increased with radio frequency signal power.