Integrated pressurized liquid extraction and purification system

A system for pressurized liquid extraction and purification of a solid sample containing at least one trace substance, comprising:

• a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) module including a PLE cell, a heating element thermally coupled to the PLE cell, a high-pressure source of an extraction solvent coupled to an input port of the PLE cell, a pressure regulator coupled to an output port of the PLE cell, and a cooling coil coupled between an output of the pressure regulator and an output port of the PLE module, the PLE module being operative to (1) continuously perform high-pressure, high-temperature extraction on the solid sample to yield hot liquid sample, and (2) concurrently feed the hot liquid sample to the cooling coil to yield cooled liquid sample while preventing attraction of interferences and contaminants from the air, the cooled liquid sample being provided to the output port of the PLE module;
• and
• a purification module having a sample input port coupled to the output port of the PLE module, the purification module being operative concurrently with the extraction of the liquid sample by the PLE module to separate a liquid sub-sample from the liquid sample, the liquid sub-sample containing substantially all of the trace substance present in the solid sample.