ABSTRACT
Chemical extraction methods are regularly employed as an essential practice in the work-up of organic specimens. Although other variations on this theme include ultrasonic extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction, classical liquid-liquid solvent extraction remains an indispensable procedure for organic sample prep. Methylene chloride is an excellent reagent for removing nonpolar organic species from aqueous and solid samples, whereas a 3:1 mixture of methylene chloride/isopropanol will extract a more inclusive suite of general polar and nonpolar organic compounds. This broad approach is often modi–ed by the speci–c considerations of an individual investigation, however. Thus, for example, acetone is a solvent of choice for the recovery of a broad spectrum of high-explosive analytes.
