Complex matrices such as food typically require acid hydrolysis or pretreatment prior to solvent extraction. Our newly updated flow-through solvent extraction system allows extraction of matrices which require acidic or alkaline pretreatment. The ability to extract these pretreated matrices significantly expands the capabilities of accelerated solvent extraction technology.This Application Note describes methods used for extraction of total fat from food samples and determination of fat content by FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) analysis based on AOAC Official Method 996.06 section G.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were developed in the early 1970s and are used as flame retardants for various consumer products, including clothing, furniture, and plastics. Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE), introduced in 1995, was EPA approved under method 3545A and has proven to be a valuable technique for environmental laboratories. In this application note, PBDEs were extracted from human breast milk (freeze dried), sediments, fish tissues, and polymers using ASE.

The current methods for determining fat in dairy products, though acceptable, have several drawbacks. Many dairy-based products require a pretreatment prior to extraction. In this application note, fat is extracted from cheese, butter, and liquid milks using the ASE 200 Accelerated Solvent Extractor. The results are shown to be equivalent to those of traditional fat extraction methods. ASE results reported, are compared to Rose-Gottlieb, Schmid-Bondsynski-Ratzlaff, and International Dairy Federation tests that were conducted by 20 laboratories participating in the Interlaboratory Comparison.

Organotin compounds are a highly versatile group of organometallic chemicals used in industrial and agricultural applications. ASE systems are currently used to replace traditional extraction methods such as sonication and Soxhlet. Using an ASE system, extracts can be generated in much less time and using significantly less solvent than these traditional methods. ASE systems have been shown to provide better or equivalent recoveries compared to these techniques for compound classes covering a wide range of polarities and exhibiting both high and low levels of bonding to the matrix.

Accelerated solvent extraction is an established technique to efficiently extract contaminants in solid and semisolid sample matrices with less solvent and time. Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are considered toxic and carcinogenic, and therefore classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Typically, PAHs and PCBs are extracted separately, using different solvent combinations. Our study demonstrates extraction of PAHs and PCBs using a single method from spiked mussel and from a soil spiked with a standard reference materials (SRMs).