Recent advances in flow-based automated solid-phase extraction

Automated flow-based solid-phase extraction (SPE) is an advantageous tool for analytical sample pretreatment, and the development of novel materials and fabrication techniques to build improved SPE devices are crucial to further advance the field. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is offering tremendous advantages in comparison with conventional manufacturing techniques, enabling the fast and efficient fabrication of complex SPE devices. In addition, novel materials, and less conventional SPE supports, have also emerged as interesting alternatives for automated SPE, such as magnetic particles, stirred extraction devices, membranes/disks and monolithic supports. In this review, the advantages, limitations and future directions of 3D printing and novel materials and devices for automated flow-based SPE are discussed, highlighting recently developed applications.