About this Research Topic
Analysis of biological specimens in the scope of clinical chemistry and analytical, clinical or forensic toxicology involves some kind of sample preparation procedures, solubilizing the analytes in a solvent that is compatible with analytical instruments. Classical approaches such as liquid-liquid or solid-phase extraction have been widely used; these are being slowly replaced by less laborious techniques. For example, by the so-called microextraction sampling procedures, which usually involve less solvents and sample amounts to accomplish the analysis and are more efficient, allowing to satisfy the increasing analytical demand while lowering operating costs.
Method development and validation is a time-consuming and laborious task for analytical laboratories, and methods are usually required to be able to detect numerous compounds at low concentrations. This task is even more demanding when biological samples are involved, since some sort of sample preparation approach is deemed necessary. Classical extraction procedures are usually straight forward to use and are already steadily implemented in most laboratories; however, they are normally associated to the use of important amounts of organic solvents, which need to be properly discharged. Miniaturized sample preparation approaches are being used to overcome this problem, and several papers have been published in the scientific literature.
Recent advances in sample preparation techniques for drug analysis in biological specimens (blood/plasma; urine; hair; oral fluid; etc.) will be addressed in the topic. We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Biological samples analysis
• Clinical and/or toxicological analyses
• Miniaturized analytical flow-based approaches
• Microextraction by packed sorbent
• Solid-phase microextraction
• Liquid phase-based microextraction
• Dilute and shoot approaches
Method development and validation is a time-consuming and laborious task for analytical laboratories, and methods are usually required to be able to detect numerous compounds at low concentrations. This task is even more demanding when biological samples are involved, since some sort of sample preparation approach is deemed necessary. Classical extraction procedures are usually straight forward to use and are already steadily implemented in most laboratories; however, they are normally associated to the use of important amounts of organic solvents, which need to be properly discharged. Miniaturized sample preparation approaches are being used to overcome this problem, and several papers have been published in the scientific literature.
Recent advances in sample preparation techniques for drug analysis in biological specimens (blood/plasma; urine; hair; oral fluid; etc.) will be addressed in the topic. We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Biological samples analysis
• Clinical and/or toxicological analyses
• Miniaturized analytical flow-based approaches
• Microextraction by packed sorbent
• Solid-phase microextraction
• Liquid phase-based microextraction
• Dilute and shoot approaches
Keywords: Biological specimens, Sample preparation, Solid-phase extraction, Liquid-liquid extraction, Miniaturized approaches, Clinical chemistry, Toxicology
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
