Conductive polymer-based microextraction methods: A review

Conductive polymers (CPs) are classified as materials which exhibit highly reversible redox behavior and the unusual combined properties of metal and plastics. CPs, due to their multifunctionality, ease of synthesis and their stability, have attracted more attentions in different fields of research, including sample preparation. CPs along with several commercial hydrophilic sorbents, are alternative to the commercially available hydrophobic sorbents which despite their high specific surface areas, have poor interactions and retentions in the extraction of polar compounds. This review covers a general overview regarding the recent progress and new applications of CPs toward their synthesis and use in novel extraction and microextraction techniques including solid phase microextraction (SPME), electrochemically controlled solid-phase microextraction (EC-SPME) and other relevant techniques. Furthermore the contribution of nano-structured CPs in these methodologies is also reviewed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.