Extraction of materials from liquids

A process for extracting materials from liquids, the process comprising:

• introducing an initial liquid volume into a concentration stage, the initial liquid volume having an initial concentration of a material;
• directing the initial liquid volume into a tangential flow filter, the tangential flow filter for entrapping the material to produce a concentrated liquid, the concentrated liquid having a higher concentration of the material than the initial concentration;
• and
• directing the concentrated liquid out of the concentration stage;
• introducing a portion of the concentrated liquid into an aerosolizing stage comprising a nebulizer to produce aerosolized liquid droplets;
• and
• heating the aerosolized liquid droplets in a drying stage comprising a drying chamber to extract the material from the liquid droplets.

An apparatus for extracting materials from liquids, the apparatus comprising:

• a concentration stage that accepts an initial liquid volume, the initial liquid volume having an initial concentration of a material, the concentration stage comprising:
• a tangential flow filter that accepts the initial liquid volume, the tangential flow filter further collects the material from the initial liquid volume, the tangential flow filter further produces a permeate that is substantially devoid of the collected material, the tangential flow filter further produces a retentate, the retentate having a higher concentration of the material than the initial concentration;
• a permeate path from the tangential flow filter, which defines a conduit for the permeate, the permeate path comprising:
• a flow meter;
• and
• a permeate control valve;
• and
• a retentate path from the tangential flow filter, which defines a conduit for the retentate, the retentate path comprising a retentate control valve;
• an aerosolizing stage coupled to the retentate path, wherein the aerosolizing stage converts the retentate into an aerosol;
• a drying stage that dries the aerosol to extract the material, wherein the extracted material is collected onto a material substrate;
• a controller coupled to the concentration stage, the controller further coupled to the aerosolizing stage, wherein the controller automates liquid sample collection;
• and
• an analyzer coupled to the controller, which operates in parallel with the liquid sample collection.