Mechanism of Solid Phase Extraction Process
The selection of an appropriate SPE extraction sorbent depends on understanding the mechanism(s) of interac- tion between the sorbent and analyte of interest. That un- derstanding in turn depends on knowledge of the hydro- phobic, polar and ionogenic properties of both the solute and the sorbent. The most common retention mechanisms in SPE are based on van der waals forces (“non-polar interactions”), hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole forces (“polar” interactions) and cation-anion interactions (“ion- ic” interactions).
Each sorbent offers a unique mix of these properties which can be applied to a wide variety of extraction prob- lems. Four general theory interactions exist:
– reversed phase involves a polar or moderately polar sample matrix (mobile phase) and a nonpolar stationary phase. The analyte of interest is typically mid- to nonpolar. Retention of organic analytes from polar solutions (e.g. water) onto these SPE materials is due primarily to the attractive forces between the car- bon-hydrogen bonds in the analyte and the functional groups on the sorbent surface. These nonpolar – non- polar attractive forces are commonly called van der Waals forces or dispersion forces. The nonpolar sol- vent, which can disrupt the forces between the sorbent and compound, is used to elute an adsorbed compound from a reversed phase SPE tube or disk. The follow- ing materials are used as reversed phase: carbon-based media, polymer-based media, polymer-coated and bonded silica media. Carbon-based media consist of graphitic, non-porous carbon with a high attraction for organic polar and nonpolar compounds from both polar and nonpolar matrices. Retention of analytes is based primarily on the analyte’s structure, rather than on in- teractions of functional groups on the analyte with the sorbent surface.