Innovative, simple, and green: A sample preparation method based on 3D printed polymers

Abstract

The present study evaluates the capability of fifteen 3D printed thermoplastic polymers as novel stationary phases for the extraction of forty-three physicochemically diverse analytes from fortified human oral fluid samples. Prototype extraction devices were prepared in 96-well plate-compatible format using fused deposition modeling 3D printer. The sample preparation was performed with 5-step protocol utilizing 96-well plates and semiautomated benchtop shaker. All resulting extracts were analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (operated in reversed-phase gradient elution mode) and tandem mass spectrometry (with electrospray ionization and triple quadrupole mass spectrometer). Exceptionally favorable results were observed for three polymer types: polyamide 6 (reinforced with 15% carbon fiber), LAYFOMM-60 (polyurethane with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol), and S-FLEX 90A (thermoplastic polyurethane). Furthermore, this study also introduces an automated and repeatable 3D printing method for the fast fabrication of high-throughput, and highly selective sample preparation devices, most of which are ready-to-use without any additional processing or chemical functionalization. As such, the proposed printing method represents a significant step towards the introduction of novel polymeric stationary phases for analytical sample preparation, thus providing laboratory personnel with a method that is safer and more convenient, while minimizing negative environmental impacts.