US Patent 7722820 Method and device for sample preparation

The invention provides extraction columns for the purification of an analyte (e.g., a biological macromolecule, such as a peptide, protein or nucleic acid) from a sample solution, as well as methods for making and using such columns. The columns typically include a bed of extraction media positioned in the column, often between two frits. In some embodiments, the extraction columns employ modified pipette tips as column bodies. In some embodiments, the invention provides methods characterized by the use of hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic membranes as frits, and/or by the inclusion of a wad of fibrous material to act as a wicking agent.