EN
In the last decade, several developments, particularly in the liquid
chromatography and hyphenated techniques fields, have allowed
researchers to reach analytical limits that are becoming very close to the
single molecule level. Sample preparation, however, despite being a key
step in the analytical methodology, did not track these developments
and very few approaches able to cope with these stringent analytical
requirements were developed. One such approach is microextraction by
packed sorbent (MEPS), a sophisticated and miniaturized form of solid
phase extraction that has reduced to the microliter scale every step of
the sample extraction methodology including sample volume and solvent
usage. Simultaneously, the amount of extraction phase used was also
reduced and, more importantly, the sorbent is reusable dozens of times
which significantly lowers the cost of analysis versus other solid-phase
extraction approaches. In this review, we will update the state-of-the-art
of the MEPS technique, focusing on the trends and applications reported
since 2010 and future perspectives and developments that in our view
will further improve the high-throughput potential and applications of this
sample preparation methodology.