{
  "abstract": "Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are key biomarkers of gut microbiota and intestinal health, yet their analysis is challenging due to high volatility, hydrophilicity, and the complexity of the faecal matrix. This study introduces a novel, green, and fully automated workflow for monitoring SCFAs in faecal water samples. It combines microwave-assisted derivatisation, vacuum-assisted cooling multiple solid-phase microextraction (Vac-HS-cooling-MSPME), and fast gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). On-sample derivatisation with 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl bromide was optimised via design of experiments, reducing reaction time from 3 h to just 2 min at 100 °C while preserving high yields and selectivity. Integration of Vac-HS-cooling-MSPME with a fast GC column (5 m × 0.1 mm ID × 0.4 µm) increased sample throughput from two to approximately six samples per hour, with total chromatographic times of 5.24 min. MSPME specifically improved sensitivity for low-response analytes such as pentafluorobenzyl formate. The method demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 > 0.998), low limits of detection (0.002–0.09 mg/L), good intra- and inter-day precision, accuracies exceeding 85%, and consistent recovery for each analyte (86–90%). The AGREE greenness score improved from 0.65 to 0.68, confirming alignment with green analytical chemistry principles. This system offers a high-throughput, sensitive, and eco-friendly tool for SCFA quantification, confirmed by the application on real paediatric faecal water samples.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Unit of Microbiomics and Research Unit of Microbiome, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy",
    "Department of Life Sciences, Health and Health Professions, Link Campus University, 00165 Rome, Italy",
    "Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy",
    "Division of Occupational Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy",
    "Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy",
    "Research Unit of Microbiome, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy",
    "Research Unit of Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 15,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Lorenza Putignani",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0134-2830"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Stefano Dugheri",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3078-7188"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Niccolò Fanfani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Giovanni Cappelli"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ilaria Rapi",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-2412-5882"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Michele Santillo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Giorgio Marrubini",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1399-5783"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Chiara Marangelo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6633-3938"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Pamela Vernocchi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Federica Del Chierico",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4204-4736"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Maria Rita Braghini"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Giulia Andolina"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Anna Alisi",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7241-6329"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Antonio Baldassarre",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6124-3570"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Nicola Mucci",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0579-1035"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6yx1w9cpm1q87.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/molecules31203716",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13707552/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "6yx1w9cpm1q87",
  "issns": [
    "1420-3049"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3716",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1602|Analytical chemistry methods development"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222442965",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13707552/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13707552",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6yx1w9cpm1q87.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/molecules31203716",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3716"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:40Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13707552",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13707552"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1602|Analytical chemistry methods development",
      "subfield": "analytical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Rethinking Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) for Bioanalysis: Workflow Optimisation in Automated Vacuum-Assisted Cooling SPME for Fatty Acid Monitoring in Faecal Waters",
  "title_text": "Rethinking Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) for Bioanalysis: Workflow Optimisation in Automated Vacuum-Assisted Cooling SPME for Fatty Acid Monitoring in Faecal Waters",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:40Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6yx1w9cpm1q87",
  "venue": "Molecules",
  "versions": []
}