Multiresidue Analysis: State of the Art and Prospects

Abstract

Sample treatment is still one of the most critical steps in the analytical process. This chapter aims to show an overview of the main extraction procedures for the multiresidue analysis of organic compounds (e.g. pesticides and veterinary drugs) at trace levels in liquid and solid samples, for instance, food and environmental samples. Considering that traditional extraction techniques such as liquid–liquid extraction and solid‐phase extraction are labor intensive and time consuming, new extraction approaches [i.e. pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), microextraction techniques, QuEChERS ‐based methods (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe)], have been developed in order to minimize organic solvent waste and increase sample throughput and/or automation. Moreover, new developed methods, such as dilute‐and‐shoot are also focused on the extraction of as many residues as possible in order to increase the scope of the analysis. A review of the most relevant extraction techniques has been performed, including traditional, most employed, and recent techniques. Principles and applications of each technique are provided, with figures illustrating the extraction process. In summary, this chapter is a first approach to the analytical methodologies mostly utilized in routine laboratories.