Sustainable Sorbents in Environmental Analysis

The need for more environmentally friendly methods has triggered the search for alternative sorbent materials for use in sample preparation. This chapter presents a selection of the latest advances in this field, with a particular focus on the sustainability of sorbent phases developed for the determination of trace contaminants in environmental samples. The different types of materials, including polymers, carbon materials, derivatized silica, magnetic nanoparticles, and hyper-porous materials, are described and discussed as a function of the sample treatment technique, namely solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction and fabric-phase sorptive extraction. The analytical performance is commented on in terms of sorption capacity and extraction efficiency, and also in comparison with commercially available sorbents. The advantages offered by the newly proposed (hybrid) materials through their applications in various formats and operation modes, are highlighted in the context of the objectives of green practice.