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Miniaturized 3D printed solid-phase extraction cartridges with integrated porous frits
Xinpeng Ren1, Sepideh Keshan Balavandy1, Feng Li1
1Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia.
Analytica Chimica Acta
|May 7, 2022
Summary
PolyJet 3D printing enables fabrication of integrated solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Optimized 3D printed SPE cartridges achieved sensitive detection of endocrine-disrupting phenols in water and milk.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is a crucial technique for sample preparation.
- Conventional SPE cartridges often require separate frit components.
- 3D printing offers potential for novel cartridge designs with integrated features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of PolyJet 3D printing for fabricating single-material SPE cartridges with integrated porous frits.
- To optimize printing parameters (thickness, orientation) for frit performance.
- To evaluate the performance of these 3D printed cartridges for the extraction of endocrine-disrupting phenols.
Main Methods:
- PolyJet 3D printing was employed to create SPE cartridges with varying frit thickness and print head orientation.
- The optimal print orientation (30°) and frit thickness (150 μm) were determined based on permeability and stability.
- The 3D printed cartridges were tested for the solid-phase extraction of 4-tert-octylphenol (4-tOP) and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) using three commercial sorbents.
- High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used for quantification.
Main Results:
- SPE cartridges printed at 30° orientation with a 150 μm frit demonstrated a balance between flow permeability and sorbent retention.
- Silica-C18 sorbent provided the best extraction performance for 4-tOP and 4-NP.
- Optimized method achieved low detection limits (0.3 μg/L for 4-tOP, 1.1 μg/L for 4-NP) and high enrichment factors (30.1 for 4-tOP, 16.2 for 4-NP).
- Satisfactory recoveries (97-103%) were obtained for water and milk powder samples.
Conclusions:
- PolyJet 3D printing is a viable technology for fabricating miniaturized SPE cartridges with integrated frits.
- The developed 3D printed SPE cartridges offer efficient extraction of endocrine-disrupting phenols from complex matrices.
- This approach simplifies SPE cartridge design and fabrication, paving the way for customized analytical devices.
