Sample preparation steps for gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC), GC-mass spectrometry (MS) and LC-MS applications often create a bottleneck for environmental, food and biopharmaceutical labs due to their labor-intensive and time-consuming nature. Thermo Fisher Scientific recently announced the introduction of the Thermo Scientific EXTREVA ASE Accelerated Solvent Extractor system to its product line, an all-in-one automated system designed to enable walk-away sample-to-vial preparation workflows.
The EXTREVA ASE system automatically extracts and concentrates analytes of interest from solid and semi-solid samples, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or pesticides. The system can perform four sample extractions and concentrations in parallel and can be paired with GC, GC-MS or LC-MS systems. The system’s capabilities can reduce manual intervention by a factor of three, according to a company statement, which can prevent human error while allowing analysts to focus on value-added tasks.
“Traditional sample preparation for chromatography with solid or semi-solid samples is labor-intensive, prone to errors and can stifle lab productivity,” said Dino Alfano, vice president and general manager, ion chromatography and sample preparation, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Even with current automation solutions, the process can involve time-consuming manual navigation of multiple instruments. By seamlessly performing sample extraction and evaporation of four samples in parallel, the EXTREVA ASE system redefines this cumbersome workflow. Streamlining workflows allows our customers to reduce manual sample preparation steps from hours to minutes, thereby increasing their productivity, minimizing errors, and dramatically reducing solvent use; ultimately helping them meet sustainability and cost goals.”
The new accelerated solvent extraction system uses a patented gas-assisted extraction mechanism to reduce solvent use, and automatically transfers samples to an evaporation carousel following extraction. Other potential applications for the system include sample preparation for the testing of dioxins, furans, fat content in food, and extractables and leachables in biotherapeutics.
“We are looking to innovate our processes with technologies that will enable us to extract the most difficult and complex matrices with ease,” said Matthew MacLenna, director of LC/MS/MS DevOps at Pacific Rim Laboratories. “EXTREVA ASE does just that for our POPs extractions.”