Solid phase micro extraction (SPME) is one of the most important sampling and sample preparation procedure in chromatography.

SPME, developed by Prof. Janusz Pawliszyn at the University of Waterloo in Canada integrates sampling, extraction, enrichment and delivery to the analysis system in one step.

SPME enables the solvent free extraction by a fiber, which is coated with a polymer. The polymer has the ability to extract organic compounds, similar to a solvent. The fiber is secured on a holder, which is similar to a syringe, thereby accomplishing both the extraction and the injetion to the chromatograph.

Learn more about SPME

SPME is more than the extraction of volatile organic compounds out of the headspace of a 10 ml or 20 ml vial. In the past few years new SPME formats and designs have acquired applications in the analytical chemistry. Biocompatible coatings allow extraction for metabolism studies directly out of a living tissue.

Doping and drug analysis out of whole blood, urine or plasma – no problem.

Enrichment of smallest concentrations of pollutants from surface water – it never has been as easy and sensitive as today.

Sugar and fat containing food needed a complex sample preparation so far – simple SPME solutions can help.

With SPE methods, components are (virtually) completely extracted. A relative small amount of the extract is injected to the chromatograph. SPME extracts small amount of the target components out of the sample, but this quantity is then injected completely.

SPME is a simple and smart method and the increasing number of new publications shows the increasing acceptance.

PAS Technology GmbH of course offers conventional SPME methods for typical GC applications.