Green-friendly and biocompatible deep eutectic solvents for pharmaceuticals, biocatalysis, and biosensing applications

Abstract

Traditional solvents face limitations in environmental friendliness, biocompatibility, and functional tunability, which restrict their use in pharmaceuticals, biocatalysis, and biosensing. As emerging green solvents, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) form unique hydrogen-bond networks through component design, overcoming the performance bottlenecks of conventional systems. Their strong solvation and hydrogen-bonding abilities enable the formulation and delivery of poorly soluble drugs. DESs can also enhance biocatalytic efficiency by stabilizing enzyme conformations and regulating cell membrane permeability. In addition, DES-based flexible sensors exhibit precise physiological monitoring due to their high conductivity and tunable properties. Although challenges remain in thermal stability, biotoxicity, and large-scale production, these issues can be addressed through component optimization and interdisciplinary integration. DESs therefore hold great promise as a sustainable bridge between green chemistry and advanced biomedical applications.