Liquid-phase microextraction techniques within the framework of green chemistry

This overview deals with the evolution of liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) techniques from their inception in mid-to-late 1990s. We describe and evaluate the most important developments towards implementing greener analytical methodologies focused on the use of less toxic extractant phases, clean energies combined with LPME techniques, new materials (e.g., monolithic silica and nanoparticles), automation of LPME methodologies and recent developments in hyphenation of LPME with a broad variety of analytical techniques. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.