Micro-solid phase extraction (μSPE) has been applied for sample preparation steps in trace analysis. The development of μSPE is trending toward miniaturization through a reduction in device dimensions, a decrease in sorbent amounts, and/or an incorporation of micro-sized or nano-sized materials. Various materials, both synthetic and organic in source, have been used as sorbents. Biochar, a carbon-rich material, is one of the potential materials to serve as a sustainable sorbent for SPE. This study presents a new eco-friendly and energy-efficient method using the laser irradiation process under ambient conditions to produce the biochar sorbent from lignin-rich biomass, which promises greener and simpler methods. The laser-induced biochar was made into millimeter-scale sorbent pieces and applied for μSPE of organophosphorus pesticides from environmental water. As the Green Chemistry Principles of Design for Energy Efficiency and Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention, laser-induced biochar shows significant potential as a low-energy consumption method (up to 114 times less energy than the conventional pyrolysis method per extraction) and serves as an eco-friendly miniaturized sorbent for μSPE.
- Sherwin Hugo T. Lu
- Puttaruksa Varanusupakul