What future innovations are shaping automated sample preparation technology?

Automated sample preparation technology is being shaped by five converging forces: artificial intelligence, green chemistry principles, full end-to-end automation, expanding contaminant targets, and tightening regulatory frameworks. These trends are not arriving in isolation, they are reinforcing one another, pushing laboratories toward faster, cleaner, and more reproducible workflows. The sections below unpack each of these drivers and what they mean for laboratories analyzing persistent organic pollutants, PFAS, pesticides, and other environmental contaminants.

How are AI and machine learning changing laboratory sample preparation?

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming automated sample preparation by enabling systems to optimize extraction parameters in real time, flag anomalies before they affect results, and reduce the need for manual method adjustment. Rather than following fixed protocols, AI-assisted platforms can adapt to variability in sample matrices, improving both reproducibility and throughput without additional operator input.

In practice, machine learning algorithms are being applied to predict optimal solvent volumes, flow rates, and conditioning sequences based on historical run data. This is particularly valuable in laboratories processing diverse matrices such as food, feed, soil, and water, where matrix complexity can vary significantly between batches. By learning from previous runs, these systems reduce the number of failed extractions and minimize reagent waste.

Predictive maintenance is another area where AI is delivering measurable value. Sensors embedded in automated platforms can monitor pressure, flow consistency, and valve performance, alerting laboratory managers to component wear before a failure disrupts a batch. For high-throughput contract testing laboratories operating under ISO 17025 requirements, unplanned downtime carries real compliance and commercial risk, making predictive diagnostics a genuine operational advantage.

Looking ahead, AI integration is expected to extend into data interpretation, with sample preparation systems communicating directly with downstream instruments to flag extraction anomalies that might otherwise only become visible at the detection stage. This closed-loop feedback between preparation and analysis represents one of the most significant shifts in laboratory automation trends for the coming decade.

What role does green chemistry play in next-generation sample prep systems?

Green chemistry is a central design principle in next-generation sample preparation systems, driving manufacturers to reduce or eliminate hazardous solvents, minimize waste volumes, and develop workflows that protect both laboratory personnel and the environment. This shift is no longer optional, regulatory pressure and institutional sustainability commitments are making solvent reduction a baseline expectation rather than a differentiating feature.

The most immediate impact of green chemistry principles is the move away from chlorinated solvents such as dichloromethane, which have long been standard in extraction and cleanup workflows for persistent organic pollutants. Modern automated cleanup systems are engineered to achieve equivalent or superior purification performance using less than 100 ml of solvent per sample, a dramatic reduction compared to traditional manual methods that routinely consumed several hundred millilitres per run.

Solvent recovery is another dimension of green chemistry gaining traction in automated platforms. Systems that collect and recycle solvents during the extraction and concentration steps reduce both disposal costs and environmental burden. The SER-158 solvent extractor, for example, incorporates a recovery tank that captures solvents during the extraction cycle, combining efficiency with reduced chemical waste.

For laboratories under pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility, whether to regulatory bodies, accreditation assessors, or institutional procurement policies, green chemistry credentials are increasingly part of the equipment evaluation process. Future sample preparation innovations will likely push solvent consumption lower still, with some research directions exploring entirely aqueous or semi-aqueous extraction approaches for certain contaminant classes.

How is full automation reshaping SPE and cleanup workflows for POPs analysis?

Full automation is fundamentally reshaping solid-phase extraction and cleanup workflows for persistent organic pollutants by removing manual touchpoints, standardizing every procedural step, and enabling unattended overnight processing. For laboratories analyzing dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, and PCNs, where multi-step cleanup is mandatory, automation converts what was once a labour-intensive two-day process into a consistent, scalable workflow.

The practical benefits are most visible in throughput. Automated SPE systems can process multiple samples simultaneously across consecutive sequences, dramatically increasing the number of samples a laboratory can turn around per shift. High-capacity platforms designed for PFAS, pesticides, hormones, and other emerging contaminants support sample volumes from 10 ml up to 1,000 ml and accommodate cartridges of multiple sizes, giving laboratories the flexibility to handle diverse analytical programmes on a single platform.

Eliminating cross-contamination in automated cleanup

One of the most consequential advantages of full automation in POPs analysis is the elimination of cross-contamination risk. In systems where samples never come into direct contact with internal surfaces, achieved through closed-loop, single-use flow paths, carry-over between runs is effectively removed. This is critical when working with ultra-trace analytes such as dioxins, where contamination at the part-per-trillion level can invalidate results.

Integration between extraction and cleanup stages

Modern automated platforms increasingly integrate extraction and cleanup into a single connected workflow. Systems such as the SER-158 solvent extractor are designed to feed directly into automated cleanup platforms, creating an end-to-end solution that reduces manual transfer steps and the associated error risk. This kind of workflow integration is becoming a standard expectation among laboratories seeking to scale their sample preparation capacity without proportionally increasing staffing.

What emerging contaminant classes are driving new sample preparation innovations?

PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are currently the most significant driver of new sample preparation innovations, followed by microplastics, novel pesticide metabolites, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. These contaminant classes share a common challenge: they require highly specific extraction and cleanup approaches, and their regulatory limits are being set at increasingly low concentrations that demand correspondingly sensitive and reliable preparation methods.

PFAS analysis presents unique material compatibility requirements. Many conventional SPE systems use components containing fluoropolymers such as PTFE (Teflon), which can both adsorb and leach PFAS compounds, introducing bias into results. Next-generation automated SPE platforms are being designed with fully inert flow paths free of fluoropolymer components, a direct engineering response to the analytical challenges that PFAS imposes. This design requirement is now a key specification criterion for laboratories building or upgrading their PFAS sample preparation workflows.

Pesticide residue analysis is also evolving rapidly, as regulatory agencies continue to expand the lists of monitored compounds and lower maximum residue limits. Automated platforms capable of handling large sample volumes and a wide range of cartridge formats give laboratories the flexibility to adapt their methods as target compound lists change, without requiring new instrumentation for each regulatory update.

Mycotoxins, mineral oils, and endocrine disruptors represent further growth areas where automated sample preparation is replacing manual QuEChERS or liquid-liquid extraction approaches. As the analytical scope of food safety and environmental monitoring programmes broadens, the ability of a single automated platform to support multiple contaminant classes across diverse matrices becomes a decisive purchasing factor.

Will miniaturization and microfluidics become standard in automated prep systems?

Miniaturization and microfluidic approaches are gaining serious momentum in laboratory automation research, but they are unlikely to become the dominant standard in routine environmental and food safety testing within the next five years. For high-throughput laboratories processing large sample volumes with complex matrices, full-scale automated platforms continue to offer advantages in robustness, capacity, and regulatory acceptance that miniaturized systems have not yet matched.

Where miniaturization is making practical inroads is in concentration and evaporation steps downstream of extraction. Compact parallel evaporation systems now offer throughput improvements over traditional rotary evaporators while occupying a fraction of the bench space. Systems with integrated vapour evacuation can operate safely outside a fume hood, reducing infrastructure requirements for laboratories with limited space, a meaningful advantage for smaller contract laboratories or field-adjacent facilities.

Microfluidic sample preparation holds genuine promise for point-of-need testing and rapid screening applications, where speed and portability outweigh the throughput demands of a central laboratory. However, for confirmatory analysis of dioxins, PCBs, and PFAS under regulatory frameworks such as EPA 1613B or EU Commission Regulation requirements, the validated methods and certified reference materials are built around conventional extraction scales. Regulatory acceptance of miniaturized methods will require extensive validation work, which means the transition, if it comes, will be gradual.

The more realistic near-term trajectory is hybrid systems: automated platforms that incorporate miniaturized components for specific steps, such as micro-SPE cartridges for rapid screening, while retaining full-scale extraction and cleanup capability for confirmatory workflows. This architecture gives laboratories the speed benefits of miniaturization without abandoning the validated methods that underpin their accreditation.

How will regulatory changes shape sample preparation technology over the next decade?

Regulatory changes will be one of the most powerful forces shaping sample preparation technology over the next decade, primarily by expanding the list of monitored contaminants, lowering detection limits, and increasing documentation and traceability requirements. Laboratories that invest in adaptable, software-driven automated platforms will be better positioned to absorb these changes than those relying on fixed manual workflows.

The EU’s ongoing expansion of PFAS monitoring requirements, including the move toward total PFAS quantification approaches alongside individual compound monitoring, is already forcing laboratories to revisit their extraction and cleanup strategies. Similar pressure is building around endocrine disruptors, microplastics, and novel PCB congeners, each of which may require dedicated or modified sample preparation protocols as regulatory frameworks mature.

Traceability and audit readiness are becoming as important as analytical performance in the regulatory landscape. Modern automated sample preparation systems generate detailed run logs, recording solvent volumes, flow rates, timing, and operator inputs, that support the documentation requirements of ISO 17025 accreditation and regulatory inspections. As accreditation bodies place greater emphasis on measurement uncertainty and method validation records, the audit trail built into automated systems becomes a compliance asset rather than a secondary feature.

International harmonization of methods, particularly between EPA and CEN standards, will also influence equipment design. Manufacturers and distributors that configure systems in line with both regulatory frameworks give laboratories the flexibility to serve clients across multiple jurisdictions without maintaining separate validated methods for each. This is a practical consideration that is already influencing procurement decisions among European contract laboratories with North American clients.

How DSP-Systems supports the future of automated sample preparation

DSP-Systems provides laboratories across Europe and North America with the automated sample preparation technology needed to stay ahead of evolving analytical demands. Whether the priority is green chemistry compliance, PFAS-ready SPE infrastructure, or scalable POPs cleanup workflows, DSP-Systems offers a curated portfolio of proven platforms backed by deep application expertise.

GO-EHT automated cleanup systems for dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, and PCNs, using less than 100 ml of solvent per sample, with no dichloromethane and zero cross-contamination risk
SPE2000 and AutoEmpore for high-throughput automated SPE across PFAS, pesticides, hormones, and SVOCs, with fully inert, Teflon-free flow paths
SER-158 solvent extractor for solid and semi-solid matrices, integrated with GO-EHT for end-to-end sample preparation
LabTech MultiVap and CentriVap concentration systems for efficient, high-throughput evaporation with minimal footprint
Method development, training, and turn-key lab setup support to help laboratories implement and validate new workflows quickly

If your laboratory is evaluating automated sample preparation systems or planning a workflow upgrade for PFAS, POPs, or emerging contaminant analysis, contact DSP-Systems to discuss which platform best fits your matrix requirements, throughput targets, and regulatory obligations.

Veelgestelde vragen

How do I know if my laboratory is ready to transition from manual to fully automated sample preparation?

The clearest indicators are recurring bottlenecks in throughput, high rates of analyst-to-analyst variability, or increasing difficulty meeting turnaround times as sample volumes grow. A practical starting point is to audit your current workflow for manual touchpoints — steps involving solvent transfers, cartridge conditioning, or fraction collection — since these are precisely where automation delivers the fastest return. Laboratories operating under ISO 17025 accreditation should also consider whether their current documentation practices can scale; automated platforms with built-in run logging make compliance significantly easier as inspection requirements tighten.

What are the most common mistakes laboratories make when implementing automated SPE for PFAS analysis?

The most critical and frequently overlooked mistake is failing to audit the entire flow path for fluoropolymer components such as PTFE tubing, fittings, and frits, which can both adsorb and leach PFAS compounds and introduce systematic bias into results. A second common error is carrying over existing method parameters developed for manual workflows directly into automated systems without revalidation, since flow rates, conditioning volumes, and elution sequences often need adjustment to perform optimally on an automated platform. Finally, laboratories sometimes underestimate the importance of blank controls and system suitability checks at the start of each sequence, which are essential for detecting background contamination at the ultra-trace levels required for PFAS compliance testing.

Can a single automated platform realistically handle multiple contaminant classes, or do different analytes require dedicated systems?

Modern high-capacity automated SPE platforms are specifically engineered to support multiple contaminant classes — including PFAS, pesticides, hormones, and SVOCs — on a single system by accommodating a wide range of cartridge formats and sample volumes. The key is ensuring the platform’s flow path materials and configurable method parameters are compatible with the chemistries involved in each application. That said, POPs cleanup workflows for dioxins and PCBs typically require dedicated multi-layer silica or carbon-based cleanup columns that are better served by a purpose-built automated cleanup system, making a two-platform architecture — one for SPE, one for cleanup — the most practical and scalable solution for full-scope environmental or food safety laboratories.

How should laboratories approach method validation when moving to an automated sample preparation workflow?

Validation should be treated as a fresh exercise rather than a transfer of existing manual method performance data, since automation changes critical parameters such as flow rate precision, solvent contact time, and evaporation consistency in ways that can meaningfully affect recovery and repeatability. At minimum, laboratories should run a full recovery study across representative matrices, assess intermediate precision across multiple days and operators, and establish acceptance criteria for system suitability checks that can be applied at the start of each automated sequence. For regulated applications under EPA or EU frameworks, it is also advisable to document the automated method separately in your quality management system, cross-referencing the reference method to demonstrate equivalence to accreditation assessors.

What should laboratories prioritise when evaluating competing automated sample preparation platforms?

Beyond headline throughput figures, the most important evaluation criteria are matrix flexibility, solvent consumption per sample, and the depth of the manufacturer’s application support. A platform that performs well on water matrices but struggles with soil or food extracts will create workflow gaps that require manual workarounds, undermining the efficiency gains automation is meant to deliver. Audit trail capability and software integration with your LIMS or downstream instruments are increasingly non-negotiable for ISO 17025 laboratories, so these should be assessed during demonstration runs rather than taken at face value from specification sheets. Finally, ask specifically about regulatory alignment — whether the system and its methods have been configured or validated against the EPA, CEN, or EU regulatory frameworks relevant to your analytical programme.

How significant are the cost savings from solvent reduction in automated systems, and how quickly do they offset the capital investment?

The savings are more substantial than many laboratories initially anticipate, particularly when the full cost of solvent use is accounted for — purchase price, storage, waste disposal, and the personnel time involved in handling hazardous chemicals. A system that reduces solvent consumption from several hundred millilitres to under 100 ml per sample can generate tens of thousands of euros in annual savings for a mid-to-high throughput laboratory, before factoring in reduced fume hood usage or lower PPE costs. Return on investment timelines vary by laboratory size and sample volume, but for contract testing laboratories running multiple batches per day, a two-to-four year payback period on automated cleanup systems is a realistic expectation, with ongoing savings compounding as regulatory pressure further restricts solvent disposal options.

Is it possible to future-proof an automated sample preparation investment given how rapidly contaminant targets and regulations are evolving?

No platform can be entirely future-proof, but the most resilient investments share several characteristics: software-driven method control that allows parameters to be updated without hardware changes, modular architectures that support cartridge or component upgrades, and manufacturer ecosystems that actively develop application methods for emerging contaminants. Platforms with open communication protocols that integrate with downstream instruments and LIMS are also better positioned to adapt as data traceability requirements evolve. The practical advice is to evaluate not just the current capability of a system but the manufacturer’s roadmap and their track record of releasing validated methods for newly regulated compounds — this is often a more reliable indicator of long-term value than any single technical specification.

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