Low-cost and open-source strategies for chemical separations

•Review on low-cost and open-source tools applied to chemical separations since 2015.•Additive manufacturing and microcontrollers are common trends.•Sample preparation and separations devices have been generated.•Home-built components have been used in a variety of detection modes.•System controllers and data software made available with open access licensing. In recent years, a trend toward utilizing open access resources for laboratory research has begun. Open-source design strategies for scientific hardware rely upon the use of widely available parts, especially those that can be directly printed using additive manufacturing techniques and electronic components that can be connected to low-cost microcontrollers. Open-source software eliminates the need for expensive commercial licenses and provides the opportunity to design programs for specific needs. In this review, the impact of the “open-source movement” within the field of chemical separations is described, primarily through a comprehensive look at research in this area over the past five years. Topics that are covered include general laboratory equipment, sample preparation techniques, separations-based analysis, detection strategies, electronic system control, and software for data processing. Remaining hurdles and possible opportunities for further adoption of open-source approaches in the context of these separations-related topics are also discussed.