Novel Sample Preparation Approaches for the Determination of Drugs Using Separation Techniques

Dear Colleagues,

The determination of drugs and their residues in biological, food and environmental samples comprise a challenging analytical task due to the low concentration of the target analytes and the simultaneous presence of potentially interfering compounds. In recent years, a plethora of novel microextraction and miniaturized extraction techniques, which comply with the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry and Green Sample Preparation have been developed. Typical examples of these techniques include sorbent-based approaches such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), pipette-tip solid-phase extraction (PT-SPE), dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE), magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE), fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) and capsule phase microextraction (CPME), as well as liquid based-approaches such as dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME), thin-film liquid-phase microextraction (TF-LPME) and homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction (HLLME). These techniques serve as powerful analytical tools for the monitoring of drug molecules.

At the same time, various novel smart materials including molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutuctic solvents (DESs) have been proposed for the selective and efficient extraction of drug molecules.

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews reporting the developments and applications of novel sample preparation techniques for the determination of drugs in various matrices (biological, pharmaceutical, food, environmental, etc.).

Please note that in the cases of review articles an additional brief (1-2 pages) description of the topic including a draft index is required. This preliminary step is essential to avoid overlapping topics.

Dr. Natalia Manousi
Dr. Constantinos K. Zacharis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Separations is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.