Download the Sorbent Pen Extraction Guide.

Full Evaporative Vacuum Extraction, or FEVE, is a new Sorbent Pen extraction technique that eliminates the need to “compete” with the matrix for compound affinity, because the complete matrix is  evaporated “through” the sorbent during the extraction process, leaving no choice for the compounds of interest but to be transferred to the Sorbent Pens. Therefore, all polar and non-polar  target compounds are recovered equally, which is not the case with virtually all other extraction methods. FEVE uses the volatilizing matrix as the carrier gas rather than having to provide an  external carrier gas, which dramatically reduces the potential for channeling and analyte breakthrough. The total volume of gas can be 30x less when using the evolving matrix rather than  introducing a carrier gas (N2 or He), and matrix evaporation rates of only 1-2cc/min virtually eliminates the negative effects of sorbent “channeling” during trapping. FEVE is most effective when the  sample matrix has a low solid or suspended solids content, and when the matrix is relatively volatile, such as a primarily water, alcohol, or combined water/alcohol matrix.

For analysis of SVOCs in water, just 1mL of sample provides the same sensitivity as 1L of water performing a Liquid/Liquid extraction that only delivers 1ul of the final 1000uL extract to a GCMS for  analysis. In contrast, FEVE delivers 100% of the extract to the GCMS or GCMSMS, allowing the same sensitivity while using 1000x less sample. Channeling of the compounds through the adsorbent  material is avoided by evaporating slowly, to improve recovery while avoiding carryover. The water vapor carries most compounds boiling under 350° C to the adsorbent without the risk of  channeling into the sorbent, and then a second stage under an even higher vacuum diffusively transfers compounds boiling from 350° C to over 550° C with zero chance of channeling due to the  complete elimination of a water carrier gas at this stage of the extraction.

It is like “Cheating” when doing SVOC Analysis in Water!!

By removing the volatile fraction, FEVE does not have to compete against the sample matrix for “greater solubility”, like SBSE, full immersion SPME, Solvent Extraction, or SPE. After water removal,  the glass sample vial becomes equivalent to a glass GC injection liner, so heating of the vial transfers any remaining SVOCs to the sorbent, but at relatively low temperatures (200° C) due to  operating at 1-2 Torr of vacuum. The use of lower temperatures allows the recovery of many compounds that were not considered as GC compatible using other extraction techniques.