What is sample preparation?

Sample preparation refers to the steps required to transform a sample into a form suitable for analysis. This often involves physical (e.g., grinding, filtration, centrifugation), chemical (e.g., extraction, digestion, derivatization), or biological (e.g., cell lysis, protein purification) processes to isolate, concentrate, and/or stabilize the analyte of interest and remove interfering substances. It is a critical step in many analytical workflows as it directly impacts the accuracy, reliability, and sensitivity of downstream measurements.