Effect of heating the interface on chromatographic performance of solid phase microextraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography

The effect of heating the injector was investigated for solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Analytes extracted with an SPME fiber were introduced to a HPLC separation column using the specially designed SPME-HPLC interface, where the analytes were desorbed with HPLC solvent mobile phase, The SPME fiber was heated in this interface to enhance desorption with a heating wire coiled around the chamber using a dc power supply or a capacitive discharge quick heating system. A temperature increase reduces the fiber coating-solvent distribution constant, and increases diffusion rates, thereby enhancing the mass-transfer rate from the stationary phase of the fiber to the mobile phase, A higher desorption rate reduces injection band width, and reduces peak broadening, thus enhancing the chromatographic performance, Desorption temperature was found to have a pronounced effect on the efficiency of desorption and separation, Increasing the desorption temperature significantly reduced carryover on the fiber and enhanced the chromatographic resolution.