Coupling of supercritical fluid extraction with chromatographic techniques

• Published in: Journal of Chromatography A 1990-04, Vol.505 (1), p.45-77
• Main Authors: Vannoort, R.W., Chervet, J.-P., Lingeman, H., De Jong, G.J., Brinkman, U.A.Th
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; Other chromatographic methods
• ISSN: 0021-9673
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9673(01)93068-7

After a brief description of the basic principles of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), this review extensively discusses the application of SFE via its off-line and on-line coupling to chromatographic techniques, such as thin-layer, high-performance liquid, gas and supercritial fluid chromatography. Aspects such as speed, selectivity, sensitivity, potential for automation and possibilities of fractionation of the supercritical extract are discussed. Further, SFE liquid-liquid and liquid-solid extraction procedures are compared. Until now, SFE has been applied almost exclusively to the extraction of apolar compounds from solid samples, but the method seems also to be attractive for liquid samples. Generally, SFE is more efficient (in terms of extraction times and recoveries) than Soxhlet extractions and more suitable for thermolabile compounds. Furthermore, efficient coupling to chromatographic techniques is possible, although much work still has to be done to optimize the necessary interfaces. The extraction of relatively polar compounds is possible only if high densities are used or if modifiers are added to the supercritical fluid. The interfacing with separation techniques is then less simple.