QuEChERS Cleanup
QuEChERS Cleanup

QuEChERS Cleanup - How Micro-SPE Works

The QuEChERS extraction of homogeneous samples and extracts cleanup for the analysis of pesticides and environmental contaminants is one example of how PAL Systems robotic instruments can solve the demands of sample processing faced by researchers. 

Technology

The QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extraction is commonly used for the analysis of pesticides and other contaminants in a variety of matrices. It usually involves extraction with acetonitrile in the presence of a mixture of salts followed by centrifugation. An aliquot of the supernatant is then cleaned-up by a manual dispersive Solid Phase Extraction (d-SPE) in an attempt to remove unwanted matrix compounds.

The micro-SPE clean-up uses a cartridge replacing dSPE. It empowers reliable, high-throughput sample processing with minimized labor input and instrument maintenance. The μSPE cleanup of QuEChERS extracts is undertaken in a scavenging mode, where unwanted matrix is retained by the micro-SPE sorbent, and contaminants are recovered in a sharp elution profile.

Also the automated cleanup of ethyl acetate extracts (Swedish ethylacetate method, SweEt) was shown to be successful using the PAL µSPE Cartridges and workflow.

 

Micro-SPE Clean-up of QuEChERS Extracts

Benefits

  • Achieves high quality results for a wide range of analytes and foods (apple, kiwi, carrot, kale, orange, black olive, pork loin, salmon, and avocado); Lehotay et al., 2016

  • Enables reliable, high sample throughput 24/7, the μSPE step takes 8 min per sample

  • Requires no sample concentration by evaporation

  • Minimizes manual labor input and instrument maintenance

  • Provides better cleanup than dispersive-SPE (dSPE)

  • Increases instrument up-time significantly because of cleaner extracts

 

Benefits compared to dSPE:

  • Provides better cleanup than dispersive-SPE 

  • Requires no sample concentration by evaporation

  • The recent publication by Nicolas Michlig and Steven J. Lehotay  (US Department of Agriculture, Wyndmore PA, USA) evaluated the novel septumless µSPE cartridge with high extract load flow rates in the range of up to 10 µL/s, using extract volumes of up 600 µL. More than 250 pesticides were tested using the QuEChERSER methodology with LPGC-MS/MS analysis, which achieved recoveries of 80 to 120% for more than 260 pesticides. Optimization experiments led to a routine extract load volume of 500 µL at 5 µL/s flow rate.

    Authors: Nicolás Michlig, Steven J. Lehotay

Complete Solutions from our Partners

Together with our partners complete solutions integrating sample prep, data acquisition and analysis have been realized:

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See this detailed video of the µSPE workflow for the clean-up of raw pesticides extract. The PAL µSPE Cartridge is operated in scavenger mode eluting the pesticides in a clean extract. The matrix is kept on the sorbent material. The cleaned extract can be injected without waiting time online for LC/MS or GC/MS analysis. All samples are treated on the same time axis for highest reliability.

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