Recent Advances in Ionic Liquid-Based Microextraction for Pesticide Residue Analysis in Food and Environmental Samples

Abstract

Pesticide residues in food and environmental samples remain a global concern for food safety and environmental protection. Conventional extraction methods such as QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe), liquid phase extraction, and solid phase extraction are effective but often require large solvent volumes and hazardous chemicals, which is contrary to the principles of green analytical chemistry. Ionic liquids (ILs) have become promising alternatives because of their negligible vapor pressure, thermal stability, and tunable polarity. This review summarizes the latest advancements in IL-based microextraction techniques, including ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME), insitu IL-DLLME, magnetic IL microextraction (MIL-ME), and IL-based solid-phase microextraction (IL-SPME), applied across various food matrices such as honey, milk, fruits, vegetables, cereals, and oils. These methods consistently achieve high recoveries ranging from 80 to 110%, with sub-µg L⁻¹ detection limits, and more than 90% solvent reduction compared to traditional methods. Greenness evaluation using tools like Eco-Scale scores 85-90 and AGREE 0.70-0.85 further validate their environmental compatibility. Remaining challenges, such as ILs viscosity, synthesis cost, and limited biodegradability, are discussed with advances in biodegradable, task-specific, and hybrid IL-deep eutectic solvent systems. Overall, ILassisted microextraction offers a sensitive, sustainable, and scalable approach for nextgeneration pesticide residue analysis.