In the last years, liquid-phase microextraction techniques have
received an increased attention [1]. Among them, single-drop
microextraction (SDME) [2], has grown to currently become one of
the most successful sample preparation techniques, mainly due to
the prospective high enrichment factors achieved as a result of the
great reduction of the acceptor-to-donor phase ratio. Headspace
single-drop microextraction (HS-SDME) [3] is considered the most
appropriate SDME mode for the extraction of volatile and/or semivolatile
analytes as well as volatile forms after derivatization.
HS-SDME provides an efficient sample clean-up, since non-volatile
compounds would not be extracted in the drop. Moreover, matrix is
not an issue when HS-SDME is used, given that the drop is exposed
to the headspace above the sample, unlike direct-SDME, where the
drop is immersed into the stirred aqueous sample.