Green analytical solutions for sample preparation: solid phase microextraction and related techniques

For at least three decades, the analytical chemistry community is striving to apply the principles of Green Chemistry to the development of analytical methods. Many efforts have been made to outline the concept of Green Analytical Chemistry, which helped to redefine analytical procedures and drastically changed the philosophy of analytical method development. This book chapter describes the 12 principles of Green Analytical Chemistry and various methodologies for the assessment of the greenness of analytical methods. The three main steps in the analytical method development - sample preparation, separation and detection- are described in a "green perspective". Special emphasis is given to the description of green sample preparation procedures, in particular to Solid Phase Microextraction, that, since its introduction in 1989 by Janusz Pawliszyn, has drastically revolutionized the methodology of sample preparation, providing a convenient and green alternative to already existing methods.