In Vivo Solid-Phase Microextraction and Applications in Environmental Sciences

Solid-phase microextraction(SPME) is a well-established sample-preparationtechnique for environmental studies. The application of SPME has extendedfrom the headspace extraction of volatile compounds to the captureof active components in living organisms via the direct immersionof SPME probes into the tissue (in vivo SPME). Thedevelopment of biocompatible coatings and the availability of differentcalibration approaches enable the in vivo samplingof exogenous and endogenous compounds from the living plants and animalswithout the need for tissue collection. In addition, new geometriessuch as thin-film coatings, needle-trap devices, recession needles,coated tips, and blades have increased the sensitivity and robustnessof in vivo sampling. In this paper, we detail thefundamentals of in vivo SPME, including the variousextraction modes, coating geometries, calibration methods, and dataanalysis methods that are commonly employed. We also discuss recentapplications of in vivo SPME in environmental studiesand in the analysis of pollutants in plant and animal tissues, aswell as in human saliva, breath, and skin analysis. As we show, in vivo SPME has tremendous potential for the targeted anduntargeted screening of small molecules in living organisms for environmentalmonitoring applications.

Automated summary

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is an established sample preparation technique for environmental studies, extending from headspace extraction to in vivo sampling within living organisms. The development of biocompatible coatings, calibration methods, and novel geometries has significantly enhanced the sensitivity and robustness of in vivo sampling. SPME shows great potential for targeted and untargeted screening of small molecules in living organisms for environmental monitoring applications.