Recent developments in solid phase extraction in elemental speciation of environmental samples with special reference to aqueous solutions

The literature on the use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) as a tool for trace-element speciation is highly significant. Among methods of pretreatment, SPE is unique because of its effectiveness, robustness, speed and, above all, its “greenness”.We illustrate the combination of SPE with highly sensitive detection methods for accurate measurements of chemical species at extremely low concentrations in environmental samples with special reference to aqueous solutions. We examine the analytical strategies for speciation of elements in terms of limits of detection.