Water-wettable chromatographic media for solid phase extraction

Abstract

A method for removing an organic solute from a solution comprises contacting the solution with a polymer formed by copolymerizing one or more hydrophobic monomers and one or more hydrophilic monomers, whereby the solute is adsorbed onto the polymer. The solution can comprise a polar solvent such as a polar organic solvent or water or an aqueous buffer. The hydrophobic monomer can be, for example, divinylbenzene. The hydrophilic monomer can be, for example, a heterocyclic monomer, such as a vinylpyridine or N-vinylpyrrolidone.

1 . A solid phase extraction cartridge comprising a water-wettable polymer packed inside an open-ended container, said polymer being formed by copolymerizing at least one hydrophobic monomer and at least one hydrophilic monomer having a hydrophobic to hydrophilic monomer ratio sufficient for the polymer to be water-wettable while being effective to retain organic solutes thereon and wherein said polymer is capable of adsorbing a less polar solute more strongly than a more polar solute and wherein said solutes are capable of being desorbed from said polymer in order of decreasing polarity by washing said polymer with a sequence of solvents of decreasing polarity.