Miniaturization of QuEChERS

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Smarter Sample Preparation with dSPE

By Visnova Consultancy

Introduction

In today’s laboratories, sample preparation often consumes more time and resources than the actual analysis. The QuEChERS method—short for Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe—has revolutionized pesticide residue and contaminant analysis in food, feed, and environmental matrices.

What is QuEChERS?

QuEChERS is a two-step process:

  1. Extraction/Partitioning

    • Sample is extracted with acetonitrile (ACN), buffered with mild acid, and partitioned using salts such as MgSO₄ and sodium acetate.

    • This step efficiently transfers pesticides and analytes of interest into the ACN phase.

  2. Cleanup with dSPE

    • Instead of large SPE cartridges, QuEChERS uses pre-packed centrifuge tubes containing loose sorbents.

    • After vortexing and centrifugation, unwanted co-extractives (pigments, sugars, lipids) bind to the sorbents, leaving a clean extract for LC-MS/MS or GC-MS/MS analysis.

Why Miniaturize?

Traditional AOAC QuEChERS uses 10 g of sample and 10 mL solvent. Miniaturized QuEChERS scales this down to 2 g sample and 2 mL solvent, while maintaining performance.

Benefits:

  • Less solvent, fewer consumables → cost savings

  • Faster workflow, easier handling → higher throughput

  • Lower waste generation → greener lab practices

Role of dSPE in Cleanup

dSPE = Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction
Unlike column-based SPE, sorbents are dispersed in the extract itself.

Common sorbents in dSPE tubes:

  • PSA (Primary Secondary Amine): removes sugars, organic acids

  • C18: removes fats and sterols

  • GCB (Graphitized Carbon Black): removes pigments like chlorophyll and carotenoids

  • MgSO₄: removes water

Matrix-specific blends:

  • General Fruits/Vegetables (G/FV): PSA + MgSO₄ (± C18)

  • Pigmented Fruits/Vegetables (P/FV): PSA + MgSO₄ + GCB

Workflow at a Glance

  1. Weigh 2 g of sample + ceramic homogenizers

  2. Add 2 mL ACN (1% HOAc), vortex

  3. Add 1 g AOAC salts, shake, centrifuge

  4. Transfer 1 mL extract into dSPE tube (G/FV or P/FV), vortex, centrifuge

  5. Collect 250 µL cleaned extract for analysis

Why This Matters for Your Lab

By adopting miniaturized QuEChERS with dSPE:

  • Accuracy improves: less matrix interference, stable recoveries

  • Efficiency increases: faster prep, higher sample throughput

  • Costs reduce: less solvent, less waste, smaller consumables footprint

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