Application of solvent-bar micro-extraction for the determination of organic and inorganic compounds

Abstract

Solvent bar micro-extraction (SBME) was introduced to improve some aspects of hollow fiber liquid phase micro-extraction. It has rapidly evolved and gained increasing interest. In SBME the fiber can be left freely tumbling in the sample during extraction. Consequently, the procedure is simplified, portability of the micro-extraction system is improved and mass transfer from the sample to the fiber lumen is enhanced, reducing extraction times and allowing the simultaneous extraction of several samples. We present an overview on the evolution and applications of SBME for sample preparation. It has been applied in the analysis of polar and non-polar organic compounds in water, slurry, food, and biological samples. In the case of inorganic analysis, main applications have been directed to their determination and speciation in plants and marine water samples. In conclusion, SBME is a simple, accurate and affordable methodology for sample preparation in environmental, medical and food analytical chemistry