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2. Comparison: Liquid–Liquid Extraction (LLE) vs. Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE)

From an operational standpoint, LLE and SPE can be compared as follows:

LLE SPE
Requires large volumes of organic solvent Uses smaller volumes of organic solvent
Higher environmental impact Lower environmental impact
Emulsions may form depending on the sample Emulsions do not form
Difficult to apply to highly water-soluble substances Applicable even to highly water-soluble analytes
Tedious and time-consuming Simple and fast
Difficult to automate Comparatively easy to automate
 

SPE benefits, in brief: thanks to its straightforward handling and strong preconcentration capability, it is widely used in
drinking- and environmental-water analysis. In food analysis, as in other fields, proper choice of sorbent can deliver excellent
cleanup selectivity, extracting only the target analytes.