Enhance Efficency With Automated Micro-SPE

µSPE lets researchers achieve their goals faster. Pesticide analysis plays a key role in ensuring food and environmental safety. By ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, it helps minimize the risk of exposure to potentially harmful contaminants. QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) extraction is commonly used to clean samples during pesticide analysis. Initial extraction uses solvents, such as acetonitrile, and partitioning salts to separate the sample from unwanted matrix compounds. Following this, additional extraction often relies on manual dispersive solidphase extraction (d-SPE) to further purify samples. However, this conventional approach creates challenges in terms of time, labor and cost efficiency and requires large quantities of solvent during analysis. In contrast, the latest technological advances in micro-solid phase extraction (μSPE) overcome many of these limitations and offer the ability to automate sample clean-up. This infographic explores how μSPE provides a streamlined solution for pesticide analysis. Streamlined Pesticide Analysis: Enhancing Efficiency With Automated Micro-SPE The traditional dispersive approach The analytical power of μSPE Multi-step dispersive clean-up Fully automated µSPE clean-up Achieve cutting-edge sample clean-up and analysis. Analyse +250 pesticides across different matrices. Manual dispersive workflows use a series of labor-intensive processes to extract samples of interest. Each additional step in this process prolongs the analytical workflow, creating more opportunities for inaccuracies and increased processing costs. By automating repetitive tasks and minimizing manual intervention, μSPE accelerates throughput without compromising accuracy. μSPE streamlines the sample preparation process, significantly reducing labour time and solvent usage, allowing scientists to spend more time on valuable data analysis. Understanding the limitations of traditional workflows allows laboratories to make informed decisions about which clean-up approach suits their needs. The adoption of cutting-edge techniques, such as μSPE, can unlock efficient workflows, accurate analysis and provides cost-effective approaches to pesticide clean-up and analysis.1-3 μSPE offers the opportunity to improve a range of workflows through cost savings, efficiency and advanced analytical capabilities. By unlocking efficient and streamlined workflows, μSPE empowers laboratories to achieve operational excellence and meet regulatory requirements with confidence. μSPE cartridges pair with the PAL System to provide the analytical power needed across a range of applications, from food safety to environmental monitoring. Depending on batch size, manual sample transfer can add hours of intensive labor to the workflow. A streamlined workflow reduces the number of manual sample transfer steps and allows analysis and sample preparation to be carried out in parallel. Throughout this workflow, samples need to be manually tracked to maintain data integrity and regulatory compliance. Automated sample tracking eliminates human error and variability. Less solvent is used during processing without compromising performance. The μSPE workflow allows for a significant reduction (factor 2) in solvent consumption compared to dispersive solid phase extraction. Requires significant quantities of solvents, driving up consumable costs and generating excess waste. Reduce labor requirements by more than 30%, freeing up hours of valuable time for data analysis and high impact activities. Relies on time-consuming manual operations, with low sample throughput. Overlap sample clean-up and analysis, drastically increasing throughput. Extended workflows demand time and reduce throughput. Sample transfer with adsorbent Load cartridge Inject ready for GC-MS Elute extract Sample mixing Sample transfer ready for GC MS analysis Centrifugation Excessive solvent usage Timeconsuming Inaccurate data Costly ! ! Manual sample tracking and labelling throughout workflow Documented sample processing Lower solvent requirements Reduced solvent usage High solvent usage Low-labor input Reduce solvent usage in line with green chemistry principles. High throughput workflow Increase operational efficiency to minimize labor input and reduce overall costs. Fully automated clean-up Enhance sample throughput using automated sampling and analysis. Increased productivity Eliminate sources of error to ensure reliable and precise results. Reliable and sensitive analysis Labor-intensive processes Walk away automation Sequential sampling and analysis Reduce labor hours High selectivity Minimize costs ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Choosing the right workflow Improved workflow through μSPE Explore the capabilities of μSPE Unlock the power of μSPE cartridges References 1. Michlig N, Lehotay SJ. Evaluation of a septumless mini-cartridge for automated solid-phase extraction cleanup in gas chromatographic analysis of >250 pesticides and environmental contaminants in fatty and nonfatty foods. Journal of chromatography A/Journal of chromatography. 2022;1685:463596-463596. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463596 2. Hakme E, Poulsen ME. Evaluation of the automated micro-solid phase extraction clean-up system for the analysis of pesticide residues in cereals by gas chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A. 2021;1652:462384. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462384 3. Lorena Manzano Sánchez, Jesús F, Ferrer C, M. Mar Gómez-Ramos, Amadeo Fernández-Alba. Evaluation of automated clean-up for large scope pesticide multiresidue analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Journal of chromatography A/Journal of chromatography. 2023;1694:463906-463906. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.463906