Chemically modified resins for solid-phase extraction

The packings most widely used for solid-phase extraction are hydrophobic and make poor surface contact with aqueous samples unless the resins are first treated with an activating organic solvent such as methanol. Insertion of an acetyl- or hydroxymethyl group into a porous polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin provides a more hydrophilic surface that is easily wetted by water alone. Small columns of the chemically modified resins were found to be very efficient for the solid-phase extraction of many types of organic solutes from aqueous samples. Comparative recovery studies showed that the modified resins are superior to both silica packings and unmodified organic resins for the solid-phase extraction of organic compounds, and especially for polar organics such as phenols.