Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction as an alternative sample preparation technique for biomedical analysis.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Conventional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) is crucial for sample preparation in biomedical analysis but has limitations.
• These limitations include time consumption, high organic solvent use, and inefficiency with polar analytes.
• Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction (HLLE) presents a sustainable alternative, addressing these drawbacks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the principles, types, applications, automation, and technical aspects of homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction.
• To highlight HLLE as an efficient and eco-friendly sample preparation technique.
• To discuss HLLE's advantages over conventional LLE.

Main Methods:

• Formation of a homogeneous phase by mixing aqueous samples with water-miscible solvents, cosolvents, surfactants, or smart polymers.
• Induction of phase separation through chemical (salt, sugar, buffer) or physical (temperature, pH) changes.
• Application in various analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

Main Results:

• HLLE overcomes limitations of conventional LLE, enabling the use of greener solvents.
• The technique is rapid, sustainable, and cost-effective.
• HLLE is suitable for extracting delicate macromolecules like enzymes, hormones, and proteins.

Conclusions:

• Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction is a versatile and advantageous sample preparation method.
• It offers improved efficiency and sustainability for biomedical and metabolomic/proteomic analyses.
• HLLE's compatibility with advanced analytical instrumentation facilitates complex sample analysis.