LCTEch FREESTYLE - AUTOMATED SAMPLE PREPARATION INTELLIGENT SYSTEM SOLUTION

Importance of the Topic

The growing demands for reliable and high-throughput sample preparation in areas such as food safety, environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical quality control and drug screening have spurred development of fully automated systems. Manual workflows introduce variability, risk of contamination and limited operational hours. A robust, modular automation platform can ensure consistent precision, continuous operation and reproducible results across diverse analytical applications.

Objectives and Study Overview

This whitepaper presents the FREESTYLE automated sample preparation system and its modular extensions. Core objectives are to describe how the FREESTYLE BASIC platform, combined with modules for solid phase extraction (SPE), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), controlled evaporation (EVAporation), thermal elution (ThermELUTE) and direct HPLC injection can:

• Deliver reproducible, fully automated workflows for complex matrices.
• Support 24/7 operation with interchangeable methods in a single sequence.
• Achieve high sensitivity and throughput in regulated analyses such as mycotoxin, pesticide, mineral oil and dioxin testing.
• Minimize manual interventions and solvent usage.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The FREESTYLE system is built around a XYZ-robotic arm (BASIC platform) integrating:

• An injection pump with variable flow control and sample loop.
• A double-walled needle for precise liquid handling and analyte transfer.
• Software-driven method selection enabling any combination of installed modules without hardware reconfiguration.

Key modules and their functions:

• SPE Module: Automates conditioning, sample loading (up to 100 mL), multi-stage elution and pressure-controlled flow (up to 4 bar). Universal racks accept all standard cartridge formats, immunoaffinity and glass columns.
• ThermELUTE Module: Enables thermal denaturation elution from SMART immunoaffinity columns, directly feeding large-volume aqueous eluate into the HPLC sample loop. Ideal for aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, M1 and ochratoxin A with ppt sensitivity.
• GPC Module: Performs automated clean-up via gel permeation chromatography with adjustable flow rates, fraction collection into septa-sealed vials and seamless integration with EVAporation for downstream concentration.
• EVAporation Module: Controls evaporation to a defined final volume (0.2–5.0 mL) using vacuum, nitrogen blow-down or a combination, with automated solvent exchange and end-volume calibration.
• HPLC Direct Injection Module: Integrates cooled positions for standards, variable sample loop sizes and automated transfer from the EVAporation chamber into the HPLC system, eliminating the need for an external auto-sampler.

Instrumentation Used

• FREESTYLE BASIC robotic platform with XYZ arm, injection pump and software control.
• Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) module with column gripper, pressure sensor and universal rack system.
• ThermELUTE module including heating block, temperature monitoring and direct injection interface.
• Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) module with preparative LC pump, fraction collector and leak/overpressure sensors.
• EVAporation module featuring a closed-system evaporation chamber, vacuum pump with intelligent control, nitrogen inlet and condensate recovery.
• Optional accessories: barcode reader, UV detection (254 nm) for method monitoring, column switching valves and waste-level sensors.

Main Results and Discussion

Extensive application testing demonstrates that FREESTYLE can process diverse sample types—food, feed, environmental water, spices, coffee, pharmaceutical extracts—continuously and unattended. SPE workflows achieved consistent recoveries (>80 %) even with particulate-rich river water under 4 bar pressure. ThermELUTE automation delivered reproducible ppt‐level detection of mycotoxins across all regulated matrices at a throughput exceeding 70 samples per day. GPC cleaning seamlessly paired with EVAporation produced solvent‐exchanged concentrates directly ready for GC analysis. Method switching and mixing within a single sequence list reduced setup times to under one minute, while software-controlled end-volume calibration ensured reliable concentration to as low as 0.2 mL.

Key performance highlights:

• Continuous 24/7 operation with automatic error handling and sample marking.
• High flexibility: mix SPE, GPC, EVAporation and direct injection steps in one method.
• Reduced solvent consumption and waste, especially with SMART mini immunoaffinity columns (up to 80 % solvent savings).
• Minimal carry-over through integrated chamber rinsing routines.
• Enhanced data integrity via integrated sensors for pressure, vacuum, temperature and waste level.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The FREESTYLE system yields significant advantages for laboratories in regulated and research environments:

• Food safety testing: automated mycotoxin analysis in baby food, nuts, milk, spices and coffee with consistent limits of detection in the lower ppt-ppb range.
• Environmental monitoring: SPE of water samples with suspended solids, comprehensive GPC cleanup for persistent organic pollutants.
• Pharmaceutical and doping control: high-pressure SPE for urine and serum samples, enabling thousands of samples per week without manual intervention.
• Residue analysis: integrated SPE-EVAporation workflows for pesticides, PAHs, mineral oil hydrocarbons and dioxins/PCBs.
• Research: custom workflows handling sensitive, multi-solvent elutions, inert-gas and light-protected operations.

Future Trends and Applications

Advancements likely include deeper integration with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and AI-driven method optimization. Miniaturization of modules to reduce solvent and sample volume will align with green chemistry goals. Expansion toward online coupling with mass spectrometry platforms will broaden analytical capabilities, while further modular components (e.g. solid-phase microextraction, derivatization reactors) will extend application scope. Remote monitoring and predictive maintenance will enhance uptime and data transparency.

Conclusion

The FREESTYLE automated sample preparation platform offers a unique combination of modular flexibility, precision, and continuous operation suitable for a broad range of analytical challenges. By automating SPE, GPC, evaporation, thermal elution and direct injection steps within a single software-controlled system, laboratories can achieve higher throughput, lower variability and enhanced sensitivity. The plug-and-play module design simplifies method development and future expansion, making FREESTYLE an adaptable solution for evolving analytical needs.