Deep Eutectic Solvents in Environmental Analysis
Summary
Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as a versatile class of green solvents formed by mixing a hydrogen-bond acceptor (often a quaternary ammonium salt) with a hydrogen-bond donor (such as a polyol or organic acid). The resulting liquid exhibits a melting point far below that of its individual components, combining low volatility, adjustable polarity and high solvation power. In environmental analysis, DESs have been employed to replace traditional organic solvents in sample preparation and extraction procedures, enabling the efficient isolation of both organic and inorganic contaminants from complex matrices. Their benign toxicity, ease of preparation and compatibility with various sorbent materials have facilitated applications in micro-extraction, solid-phase extraction and membrane-based separations. Recent advances have demonstrated that tailored DESs can selectively preconcentrate trace pollutants—ranging from heavy metals and pesticides to emerging organic contaminants—while simultaneously reducing solvent usage, energy consumption and laboratory waste. Integrations with magnetic nanomaterials, porous hosts and nanocomposites have further expanded the utility of DESs, offering rapid phase separation, enhanced selectivity and improved sensitivity. These developments underscore the global significance of DES-based methods for environmental monitoring, water quality assessment and regulatory compliance.
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One recent study has introduced hydrophobic DES-functionalised magnetic nanoparticles as sorbents for micro-extraction of emerging pollutants in complex matrices. The hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) coating on magnetic nanoparticles enabled efficient extraction of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and plasticisers from water, food and biological samples. The approach combined high extraction yields with rapid magnetic separation, and a greenness assessment highlighted substantial reductions in organic solvent consumption and waste generation.
A comprehensive review of magnetic deep eutectic solvents (MDESs) has detailed their fundamental properties and analytical applications. By incorporating magnetic nanoparticles or paramagnetic anions into conventional DESs, researchers have realised MDESs that respond to external magnetic fields, facilitating one-step separation in micro-extraction techniques. The review examined physicochemical tuning of MDES viscosity, polarity and magnetic susceptibility, and showcased successful determinations of both organic and inorganic analytes in environmental and food matrices with minimal sample handling.
Another innovative contribution has been the development of deep eutectic solvent-decorated metal–organic frameworks (DES@MOF) for sample preparation. This composite material leverages the high surface area and porosity of MOFs together with the solvation versatility of DESs. In environmental and food analysis, DES@MOF has demonstrated enhanced stability, tunable selectivity and improved adsorption capacity for trace contaminants. Applications include preconcentration of herbicides and persistent organic pollutants, with the added benefit of facile regeneration and low environmental impact.
Deep Eutectic Solvents in Environmental Analysis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in deep eutectic solvents in environmental analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Deep eutectic solvent: A homogeneous liquid formed by mixing a hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor, exhibiting a melting point lower than either constituent.
Magnetic deep eutectic solvent: A DES that incorporates magnetic components (nanoparticles or paramagnetic ions) to enable magnetic separation of analytes.
Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent: A water-immiscible DES formulated to selectively extract non-polar compounds from aqueous samples.
Metal–organic framework: A porous crystalline network of metal ions coordinated to organic ligands, used as a platform for immobilising functional solvents or sorbents.
References
- Exploring the potential of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as sorbent in micro-extraction towards emerging pollutants in various matrices. Green Analytical Chemistry (2024).
- Magnetic deep eutectic solvents – Fundamentals and applications. Journal of Molecular Liquids (2022).
- Recent Applications of Deep Eutectic Solvents in Environmental Analysis. Applied Sciences (2021).
- Deep-Eutectic-Solvent-Decorated Metal–Organic Framework for Food and Environmental Sample Preparation. Foods (2024).
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