Solid-phase microextraction: a fit-for-purpose technique in biomedical analysis

Abstract

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) possesses unique features that allow it to be used in analyses that would not be possible with traditional sample-preparation methods. The simplicity of SPME protocols and extraction devices makes it a uniform platform for analyzing biological samples, either via the headspace or in direct immersion mode. Furthermore, flexible probe design enables SPME to be applied to target objects of different sizes, offering analysis on a scale ranging “from single cell to living organs”. SPME microfibers are minimally invasive, which enables them to be applied for the spatial and temporal monitoring of target analytes or to assess changes in the entire metabolome or lipidome. Furthermore, SPME permits the capture of the elusive portion of the metabolome, thus complementing exhaustive methods that are biased towards highly abundant and stable species. Significantly, SPME can be interfaced with analytical instrumentation to create a rapid diagnostic tool. However, despite these advantages, SPME has some limitations that must be well-understood and addressed. This paper presents examples of up-to-date applications of SPME, challenges related to particular studies, and future perspectives regarding the application of SPME in biomedical analysis.

Analytical strategies in neurotransmitter measurements: A mini literature review

“…It is suitable for NT separation and enrichment in a variety of biological samples. SPME has gained a great deal of attention due to its low invasiveness, low environmental impact, and capacity for full automation (Bojko, 2022). SPME is solventless and much smaller than other methods and is considered as an alternative to traditional methods for preconcentration of NTs and related metabolites.…”

The impact of normothermic and hypothermic preservation methods on kidney lipidome—comparative study using chemical biopsy with microextraction probes

“…Moreover, the use of biopsies is hampered by two significant limitations: the low reproducibility of results between on-call pathologists and their time-consuming nature ( Azancot et al, 2014 ). Additionally, the number of allowable biopsies during the transplantation procedure is usually restricted to a single sampling due to their invasiveness, which limits their application for capturing dynamic changes and time-series analyses ( Bojko, 2022 ). Therefore, new representative organ-quality assessment methods are needed to increase the number of organs available for transplantation.…”

Volatile Organic Compounds Determination from Intestinal Polyps and in Exhaled Breath by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

“…SPME is an efficient, sensitive, rapid, and solvent-free sample preparation technique that merges, in one step, sampling, isolation, and enrichment of analytes. It is commonly joined with GC or liquid chromatography (LC) to separate and detect the extracted analytes [1][2][3][4][5]. The simplicity of sampling and the design flexibility of the probe make SPME a useful extraction technique for analyzing biological samples of different natures and sizes.…”

“…The simplicity of sampling and the design flexibility of the probe make SPME a useful extraction technique for analyzing biological samples of different natures and sizes. SPME is a useful rapid diagnostic tool for in vitro/ex vivo and in vivo studies [2][3][4][5][6]. The development of minimally invasive SPME microfibers has made it possible to monitor target analytes in vivo or changes in the metabolome/lipidome of a cell or living organ [7,8].…”