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LEGO® brick supporting a thermo-responsive sorptive phase: a modular platform for circular sample preparation
Lorenzo Antonelli1, Miriam Bartocci2, Nina Felli2
1Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy. lo.antonelli@uniroma1.it.
Mikrochimica Acta
|January 17, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a novel, reusable extraction device using LEGO® bricks and a carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube/L-menthol coating for pesticide analysis. This circular analytical chemistry approach minimizes waste and offers excellent analytical performance for tap water samples.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Circular Analytical Chemistry (CAC) promotes waste reduction and closed-loop systems.
- Traditional analytical methods often generate significant waste.
- There is a need for sustainable and reusable analytical tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a proof-of-concept extraction device based on Circular Analytical Chemistry principles.
- To utilize LEGO® bricks as a modular and reusable support for a novel sorptive phase.
- To extract and quantify common pesticides from tap water samples.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a reusable extraction device using LEGO® bricks coated with carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and L-menthol.
- Application of the device for the solid-phase extraction of eight pesticides from tap water.
- Elution of analytes using the thermo-responsive properties of L-menthol at 60°C.
- Direct injection of the extract into a UPLC-DAD/MS system after dilution with isopropanol.
Main Results:
- The developed method achieved average recoveries between 86.6% and 113%.
- Precision values ranged from 2.7% to 15%.
- Limits of quantification were ≤ 0.15 µg L⁻¹, comparable to conventional techniques.
Conclusions:
- The LEGO® brick-based extraction device offers a sustainable and effective approach for pesticide analysis.
- The method aligns with Circular Analytical Chemistry goals by using reusable components and minimizing waste.
- This innovative technique demonstrates excellent analytical performance and potential for broader applications in environmental monitoring.
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