Greener, Faster, More Reproducible Clinical Sample Preparation for Biological Samples

Written by Mark Colbassi, MSc, Phenomenex Content Specialist

The Challenge: Sample Preparation for Clinical Testing with High Throughput, Cleanliness, and Reproducibility

Clinical laboratories face a constant challenge: prepare biological samples for LC-MS/MS analysis with high throughput, minimal interference, and consistent results. There is also a trend in modern laboratories to reduce environmental impact. While incredibly effective, common solid phase extraction (SPE) methods are often labor-intensive and require time-consuming method development and many steps, which increase turnaround time and lead to operator errors. Supported liquid extraction (SLE) offers a streamlined alternative in fewer steps with minimal method development; however, not all SLE products deliver the same level of performance or reproducibility.

SLE products in the market can have inconsistent batch quality, background interferences, and reliance on toxic solvents like dichloromethane (DCM). These factors can compromise both data integrity and overall lab sustainability.

The Solution: A Purpose-Built SLE to Meet Clinical Demands

To address the real-world challenges faced by clinical labs—complex workflows, inconsistent results, and health and environmental concerns—Phenomenex collaborated directly with scientists to design a better alternative. The result is Strata™ SE SLE, a synthetic-supported liquid extraction platform tailored for LC-MS/MS workflows.

Developed and refined through beta testing, Strata SE SLE delivers:

• Recovery comparable to optimized SPE methods using sustainable (non-toxic) reagents
• Consistent performance batch-to-batch at LOD
• Maximum sensitivity with minimal interferences

Let’s explore how the data supports these claims:

Key Technical Benefits of Strata SE SLE

1. High Recovery at Low Concentrations
   Strata SE SLE demonstrated 73–118% recovery at LOD and 90–108% recovery at 5xLOD for a panel of steroid analytes extracted using ethyl acetate for elution, a greener replacement for dichloromethane. These results are comparable to those from competitor SLE products that use dichloromethane, which traditionally provided the best extraction results [1].
2. Cleaner Extracts, Lower Matrix Effects
   With minimal interferences and clean backgrounds, Strata SE SLE improves analyte quantitation at low concentrations. Comparison studies exhibit less matrix effect and higher process efficiency when compared to other SLE products [1] [2].
3. Proven Batch-to-Batch Reproducibility
   A study performed on three different batches of Strata SE SLE showed inter-batch %CVs <20% for all 11 steroids tested, delivering reliable performance for clinical LC-MS/MS methods [2].
   
   [SM1] Every batch of Strata SE SLE is QC tested by LC-MS/MS prior to release to ensure product reproducibility.
   
   Figure 1 Batch-to-Batch Analyte % Recovery at LOD
   
   
4. Environmentally Safer Solvent Use
   Strata SE SLE is specifically designed for use with ethyl acetate, following EPA guidelines for dichloromethane restrictions. This allows laboratories to achieve sustainability objectives while maintaining high-quality sample preparation results [1] [2].
5. Streamlined Method
   Traditional sample prep methods – such as SPE – even though very effective, require time-consuming method development, and multiple conditioning and washing steps, which can be time-consuming and prone to variability. Strata SE SLE simplifies this process by being optimized for the extraction of biological samples and the elution of target compounds with ethyl acetate in three easy steps. Finally, the 96-well format makes the process more suitable for high-throughput LC-MS/MS workflows. 
   
   
   Figure 2: Visual representation of the 3-step method to use Strata SE SLE
   
   
6. Visual Summary
   
   Figure 3: Visual comparison for recovery, batch-to-batch consistency, environmental impact, and method steps required between Strata SE SLE and a competitor product.

Conclusion

Strata SE SLE is a ground-breaking evolution in sample preparation for LC-MS/MS. It combines the simplicity of SLE with the reproducibility and cleanliness required for clinical research, without the environmental drawbacks of traditional halogenated solvents. By addressing common pain points like batch variability, background interference, and workflow complexity, Strata SE SLE offers a practical, data-backed solution for modern labs.

If you’d like to discuss how this might fit into your lab’s workflow, don’t hesitate to reach out to LIVE chat support team!

Sources

• TN-1378: Batch-to-Batch Reproducibility Study
• TN-1379: Efficient and Sustainable Clinical Sample Preparation
• Strata Brochure

Bibliography

1. [1] S. J. M. P. R. C. P. Shahana W. Huq, “Efficient and Sustainable Clinical Sample Preparation Using Strata SE SLE – TN-1379,” Phenomenex, Torrance, 2025.
2. [2] S. J. M. P. D. R. C. P. D. Shahana W. Huq, “A Comprehensive Study on Batch-to-Batch Reproducibility of Strata™ SE SLE – TN 1378,” Phenomenec, Torrance, 2025.