ISOLUTE® SLE+ Supported Liquid Extraction Products

The supported liquid extraction (SLE) process is analogous to traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and utilizes the same water immiscible solvent systems for analyte extraction.  Instead of shaking the two immiscible phases together, in SLE, the aqueous sample is immobilised on an inert support, and the organic phase flows through the support, eliminating problems such as emulsion formation, and low analyte recoveries.

Liquid-liquid extraction can give particularly clean extracts of biological fluids, as matrix components such as proteins, phospholipids and salts are not soluble in typical LLE solvents, and are excluded from the final extract.  Because the same water immiscible solvents are used in SLE, proteins and phospholipids are efficiently removed from the final extract, and no additional steps such as protein precipitation are required.

Unlike SPE, where the sample is loaded onto the column and flows through the sorbent to waste, in SLE the ENTIRE sample volume is absorbed onto the extraction bed.   It is therefore vital to use a format with sufficient capacity to absorb the whole sample volume.  Load volume is included in each product description.

Maximum sample and elution volumes for ISOLUTE® SLE+ products

The ISOLUTE® SLE+ User Guide describes how to develop supported liquid extraction methods using ISOLUTE SLE+ products, along with hints and tips for optimizing performance and extending the range of analytes that can be extracted.