Applications of liquid-phase microextraction in the sample preparation of environmental solid samples

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Solvent extraction is crucial for analyzing environmental solids but uses harmful organic solvents.
• Greening analytical methods necessitates reducing solvent toxicity and environmental impact.
• Miniaturization of extraction techniques is a key direction for sustainable analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in microextraction for solid environmental sample preparation.
• To explore the application of innovative liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) techniques.
• To categorize and assess LPME methods based on their integration with other extraction techniques.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on microextraction for soil, sediment, and sludge analysis from the last decade.
• Focus on liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) techniques: single-drop microextraction (SDME), hollow fiber-liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME), and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME).
• Analysis of methods using conventional solvents, surfactants, and ionic liquids, often combined with other extraction steps.

Main Results:

• LPME techniques show promise for miniaturized sample preparation of environmental solids.
• Methods were categorized into: LPME with conventional extraction, LPME with green extraction, and LPME without prior extraction.
• Surfactants and ionic liquids are explored as alternatives to traditional organic solvents.

Conclusions:

• Microextraction, particularly LPME, offers a viable green alternative to traditional solvent extraction for environmental solid samples.
• The choice of LPME combination strategy impacts analyte release, efficiency, and environmental footprint.
• Further research is needed to optimize LPME techniques for broad applicability and reduced environmental impact.