Sample treatments based on dispersive (micro)extraction

Sample treatment has evolved in the last few years following basic trends, simplification, automation and miniaturization being the most remarkable ones. Microextraction techniques, including solid phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid phase microextraction (LPME), have emerged in this context showing very competitive features if they are compared with their classic counterparts. Essentially, extraction techniques are surface dependent processes since their kinetics depend directly on the contact surface between the sample and the extractant phase. This aspect, which is important in any extraction procedure, becomes critical when the amount of extractant is reduced to the microscale. In this context, dispersive-based procedures have gained importance as rapid and efficient sample treatment methodologies. This review article deals with the use of dispersion in micro-solid phase extraction (mu-SPE) and LPME. The main techniques as well as their powerful combinations will be described in depth with references to the most relevant applications.