Hexafluoroisopropanol-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of pyrethroids in tea beverages and fruit juices

Deep eutectic solvents in food contaminants detection: Characteristics, interaction mechanism and application advances from extracting to other roles

Food safety is crucial for public health, yet it faces growing threats from environmental and anthropogenic pollutants. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as green and efficient alternative solvents for detecting trace pollutants. This review highlights the characteristics of DESs, their mechanisms for extracting target analytes and applications in food analysis. Subsequently, the challenges faced by DESs in the detection of food samples and future development trends are further discussed. DESs can selectively interact with various target analytes (including pesticides, veterinary drugs, food additives, heavy metals, toxins, and other residues) during the food safety testing process by forming hydrogen bond networks. Beyond serving as extraction solvents, DESs can act as adsorbents, eluents, and reaction media, thereby simplifying sample pretreatment and enhancing the detection performance of various contaminants. Overall, as customizable functional solvents, DESs hold great promise for advancing next-generation food analysis methods, though some technical barriers remain to be addressed.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on temperature-responsive supramolecular solvent followed by HPLC-DAD for the determination of pyrethroid pesticides in tobacco samples

A novel temperature-responsive supramolecular solvent was prepared with cetyltributylphosphonium tetrafluoroborate and sodium citrate. It served as the extraction solvent of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the extraction and enrichment of pyrethroids in tobacco samples. In this study, the preparation of the temperature-responsive supramolecular solvent and the extraction of the target analytes were integrated into one step, which simplified the experimental process. Due to the low melting point of the prepared supramolecular solvent, the traditional liquid-liquid separation can be converted to solid-liquid separation at low temperatures. This conversion facilitates precise collection of the supramolecular solvent and reduces the loss of target analytes. The composition, structure, physicochemical properties, and micromorphology of the supramolecular solvent were characterized. The formation and extraction mechanism of supramolecular solvent were explored, and the extraction conditions were optimized. The results indicated that good linearity of target analytes (R2 > 0.9998) was obtained within the linear range. The limits of detection and quantification for the five pyrethroids were in the range of 0.25-0.50 μg L-1 and 0.85-1.65 μg L-1, respectively. The present method can be used for the analysis of pyrethroid pesticide residues in tobacco samples.

Application of deep eutectic solvents for the simultaneous determination of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in aqueous matrices and the assessment of its level of whiteness

This work presents as a novelty the development of a method for the simultaneous determination of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in aqueous samples using only deep eutectic solvents (DES) followed by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Combining 4 hydrogen bond acceptors and 6 hydrogen bond donors, 17 DES were prepared. Menthol:thymol in a 1:1 molar ratio presented the best extraction performance and was, therefore, characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY-NMR), comparing the spectra from the pure components and from the DES. In the FTIR analysis, the main shifts occurred in the CO bonds. The NMR analyses allowed a better understanding of the interactions occurring during solvent formation, which were attributed to the interaction between the hydroxyls from menthol and thymol. Vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) required no dispersing solvents. The main variables affecting the extraction were optimized using full factorial design, including a triplicate center point. For a fixed 10-mL sample volume, the optimum ranges obtained were: 3.0 ± 0.60 g of NaCl, pH in the range from 5 to 9, a vortex stirring time of 4 ± 2 min and 150 μL of a DES composed of menthol and thymol in a 1:1 molar ratio. Satisfactory figures of merit were then obtained: coefficients of determination greater than 0.99, linear working ranges from 1 μg/L to 400 μg/L, limit of detections of 0.3 μg/L, an inter-day precision from 1.33 % to 9.86 % (n = 12), and an intra-day precision from 4.65 % to 15.52 % (n = 4). The application was carried out in six different aqueous matrices, with methyl parathion being detected in a lake sample. An excellent mean recovery of 98.0 % was obtained for the three levels evaluated and all analytes. The comparison with other methods was based on the principles of White Analytical Chemistry using Algorithm 12, by which the method proposed in this work showed a higher level of whiteness compared to the others.

Experimental-design-based optimization of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization-mass spectrometry for the determination of pyrethroids in agricultural products and drinks

Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals that account for 16% of the international insecticide market and have been shown to be of varying toxicity to different species. There are various methods available for detecting pyrethroids in agricultural products, but these products must be pre-treated to remove interference from the food matrix, such as through dispersion liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). This study employed two experimental design methods to optimize the continuous and discontinuous experimental parameters of DLLME and investigated whether DLLME combined with GC-NICI-MS is effective for detecting pyrethroids in agricultural products. The Taguchi design with an L9(34) orthogonal array and response surface methodology were employed to optimize the discontinuous and continuous parameters of the DLLME process, respectively. To validate the performance of GC-NICI-MS after optimized DLLME, pyrethroids in mixed standard solutions at levels ranging from 0.02 to 50.00 µg/L were measured, and the resultant calibration curves were fitted. Adequate linearity was found for the six investigated pyrethroids (r = 0.9908-0.9960). The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.005 to 0.035 µg/L and 0.02 to 0.1 µg/L, respectively. The proposed approach simplifies the optimization of parameters compared to reported methods and achieves considerably lower limits of detection. The concept of mixed application based on the dual experimental design method can be applied to other regulated compounds to enhance the safety of agricultural products. The feasibility of the method was confirmed by successfully detecting pyrethroids in 13 types of teas, fruit, and vegetables.

A review of emerging techniques for pyrethroid residue detection in agricultural commodities

Pyrethroid pesticides are essential for modern agriculture, helping to control pests and protect crops. However, due to growing concerns about their potential impact on human health and the environment, reliable detection methods are essential to ensure food safety. In this literature review, we explore the techniques used over the past decade to detect pyrethroid residues in agricultural products. Until now, various methods have been developed for detecting pyrethroid pesticides, ranging from conventional analytical approaches to innovative approaches. The conventional analytical approaches include gas, liquid, and supercritical fluid chromatography, micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Whereas innovative approaches refer to various optical-based and electrochemical-based sensors. For each method, we evaluate its strengths, limitations, and practical applications. Recent innovations are highlighted, focusing on sensitivity, selectivity, and practical applicability. By summarizing the current state of research, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners, providing insights into the evolving technology and strategy for detecting pyrethroid residue.

Preparation of an imidazolium-based poly(ionic liquid) functionalized magnetic three-dimensional graphene oxide for magnetic solid phase extraction of pyrethroids from tea samples

In this work, an imidazolium-based poly(ionic liquid) (poly(1-dodecyl-3-vinyl-imidazolium bromide) functionalized magnetic three-dimensional graphene oxide (Fe3O4@3D-GO@poly(ImC12+Br-)) was synthesized via a vacuum freezing-drying method and used as a magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the efficient extraction of pyrethroid pesticides from tea samples. The prepared Fe3O4@3D-GO@poly(ImC12+Br-) was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrogram (XPS). Due to its large specific surface area and the ability to offer multiple intermolecular interactions, including π-π stacking, hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions, the prepared Fe3O4@3D-GO@poly(ImC12+Br-) showed high extraction efficiency for pyrethroids. The experimental parameters were optimized by a combination of single-factor method and Box-Behnken design to improve the extraction efficiency. Under the optimum conditions, coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), a sensitive analytical method was developed for the determination of pyrethroids, and the proposed method showed wide linear ranges (1.00-100 μg L-1) with correlation coefficients (R) ranging from 0.9980 to 0.9994, low limits of detection (0.100 μg L-1) and good repeatability with intra-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) in the range of 2.90-5.53 % and inter-day RSDs in the range of 1.83-7.76 %. Moreover, the developed method was successfully applied to the determination of pyrethroids in tea samples and satisfactory recoveries ranging from 82.37 % to 114.34 % were obtained. The results showed that the developed Fe3O4@3D-GO@poly(ImC12+Br-) was an ideal, effective and selective material for the extraction and enrichment of pyrethroids from tea samples.

Terpenes based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of aliphatic aldehydes in drinking water and alcoholic beverages

Aliphatic aldehydes are a class of organic compounds containing aldehyde groups, which are widespread, and closely related to people's daily life and health. In this work, a series of terpenes based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents were designed and synthesized using hexafluoroisopropanol as hydrogen bond donor and menthol/thymol as hydrogen bond acceptor. Then they are used as extraction solvent in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for extracting and determining seven aliphatic aldehydes from drinking water and alcoholic beverage combined with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet. Due to the fact that these hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents are liquid at the room temperature, a density greater than that of water, a lower viscosity (≤26.10 mPa s, 25 °C), after extraction and centrifugation, the microvolume DES-rich phase in the bottom is convenient for collection and direct analysis without further dissolution or dilution with organic solvents. Some factors affecting the extraction recovery were optimized by one-variable-at-a-time and response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions, the enrichment factors for the seven aliphatic aldehydes were 48-56. The method had good performance: linear ranges of 1.0-200, 0.5-200, 0.2-200, 0.4-400, 1.0-400, 0.4-400 and 0.4-400 μg L-1 for seven aliphatic aldehydes (r2 ≥ 0.9949), limits of detection of 0.1-0.5 μg L-1, intra-day and inter-day precisions <4.9%. The recoveries of seven aliphatic aldehydes ranged from 76.0 to 119.0%. The proposed dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method is simple, rapid, highly efficient, and green, which effectively reduces the amount of toxic chemical reagents used and their impact on the environment. Rapid and efficient detection of aliphatic aldehydes helps ensure a healthy diet and has great application prospects in food safety analysis.

Critical overview on the use of hydrophobic (deep) eutectic solvents for the extraction of organic pollutants in complex matrices

During the last decades, many efforts have been devoted to the adaptation of sample preparation techniques and methods to the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. Among them, this article review focusses on those aimed to green the solvents involved in sample treatment. Research in this field started in the late 1990s with the synthesis of room temperature ionic liquids, which were later replaced by the deep eutectic solvents (DESs). During the last years, a subclass of DESs, the so-called hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) have attracted attention. HDESs have contributed to circumventing some of the limitations of early-synthesised hydrophilic DESs regarding the cost of raw materials, the simplicity of synthesis, and the biocompatibility and, apparently, the biodegradability of the mixtures. In addition, these mixtures allowed the treatment of aqueous samples and the extraction of non-polar analytes. This article discusses fundamental aspects regarding the nomenclature used concerning HDESs, summarises the main physicochemical properties of these mixtures, and through discussion of key application studies, describes current progress in the use of these green solvents for the extraction of trace organic contaminants from a variety of matrices. Remaining gaps and possible lines of future development in this emerging, active and attractive research area are also identified and critically discussed.

Deep eutectic solvents for the determination of endocrine disrupting chemicals

The harmful effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to humans and other organisms in the environment have been well established over the years, and more studies are ongoing to classify other chemicals that have the potential to alter or disrupt the regular function of the endocrine system. In addition to toxicological studies, analytical detection systems are progressively being improved to facilitate accurate determination of EDCs in biological, environmental and food samples. Recent microextraction methods have focused on the use of green chemicals that are safe for analytical applications, and present very low or no toxicity upon disposal. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as one of the viable alternatives to the conventional hazardous solvents, and their unique properties make them very useful in different applications. Notably, the use of renewable sources to prepare DESs leads to highly biodegradable products that mitigate negative ecological impacts. This review presents an overview of both organic and inorganic EDCs and their ramifications on human health. It also presents the fundamental principles of liquid phase and solid phase microextraction methods, and gives a comprehensive account of the use of DESs for the determination of EDCs in various samples.

What Are We Eating? Surveying the Presence of Toxic Molecules in the Food Supply Chain Using Chromatographic Approaches

Consumers in developed and Western European countries are becoming more aware of the impact of food on their health, and they demand clear, transparent, and reliable information from the food industry about the products they consume. They recognise that food safety risks are often due to the unexpected presence of contaminants throughout the food supply chain. Among these, mycotoxins produced by food-infecting fungi, endogenous toxins from certain plants and organisms, pesticides, and other drugs used excessively during farming and food production, which lead to their contamination and accumulation in foodstuffs, are the main causes of concern. In this context, the goals of this review are to provide a comprehensive overview of the presence of toxic molecules reported in foodstuffs since 2020 through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal and use chromatography to address this challenge. Overall, natural toxins, environmental pollutants, and food-processing contaminants are the most frequently reported toxic molecules, and liquid chromatography and gas chromatography are the most reliable approaches for their control. However, faster, simpler, and more powerful analytical procedures are necessary to cope with the growing pressures on the food chain supply.

Recent Advances in Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction for Pharmaceutical Analysis

Sample clean-up and pre-concentration are critical components of pharmaceutical analysis. The dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) technique is widely recognized as the most effective approach for enhancing overall detection sensitivity. While various DLLME modes have been advanced in pharmaceutical analysis, there need to be more discussions on pre-concentration techniques specifically developed for this field. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the different DLLME modes used in pharmaceutical analysis from 2017 to May 2023. The review covers the principles of DLLME, the factors affecting microextraction, the selected applications of different DLLME modes, and their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, it focuses on multi-extraction strategies employed for pharmaceutical analysis.

Deep eutectic solvents in sample preparation and determination methods of pesticides: Recent advances and future prospects

This review summarizes recent advances of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in sample preparation and determination methods of pesticides in food, environmental, and biological matrices since 2019. Emphasis is placed on new DES categories and emerging microextraction techniques. The former incorporate hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents, magnetic deep eutectic solvents, and responsive switchable deep eutectic solvents, while the latter mainly include dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, liquid-liquid microextraction based on in-situ formation/decomposition of DESs, single drop microextraction, hollow fiber-liquid phase microextraction, and solid-phase microextraction. The principles, applications, advantages, and limitations of these microextraction techniques are presented. Besides, the use of DESs in chromatographic separation, electrochemical biosensors, fluorescent sensors, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy are discussed. This review is expected to provide a valuable reference for extracting and detecting pesticides or other hazardous contaminants in the future.

Determination of catechol in water with deep eutectic supramolecular solvents-assisted magnetic κ-carrageenan nanoparticles

A combination of magnetic κ-carrageenan nanoparticles and deep eutectic supramolecular solvents used for extraction of catechol from water was evaluated by the magnetic dispersion solid phase extraction method. The magnetic κ-carrageenan nanoparticles (KC@Fe3O4MNPs) and the deep eutectic supramolecular solvent (DESP) were characterised by 1H NMR, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, VSM, TG, and BET. The adsorption kinetics, adsorption isothermal model, adsorption thermodynamics and effects of pH and salt concentration were investigated. Additionally, the factors used in the desorption process, such as the type, dosage, concentration and time, were analysed. Under the optimised conditions, the analytes were linear over the range 5-5000 ng mL-1, with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.999 and detection and quantitation limits of 1.6 and 4.7 ng mL-1, respectively. The procedure was successfully applied to determinations of the analytes of interest in spiked water samples with relative average recoveries ranging from 94.3% to 101.5%. These results indicated that the combination of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and DESP had high specificity and extraction efficiency for catechol and will be a feasible alternative to conventional analyses of organic phenolic pollutants in water.

Molecular Guide for Selecting Green Deep Eutectic Solvents with High Monosaccharide Solubility for Food Applications

Monosaccharides play a vital role in the human diet due to their interesting biological activity and functional properties. Conventionally, sugars are extracted using volatile organic solvents (VOCs). Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have recently emerged as a new green alternative to VOCs. Nonetheless, the selection criterion of an appropriate DES for a specific application is a very difficult task due to the designer nature of these solvents and the theoretically infinite number of combinations of their constituents and compositions. This paper presents a framework for screening a large number of DES constituents for monosaccharide extraction application using COSMO-RS. The framework employs the activity coefficients at infinite dilution (γ_i^∞) as a measure of glucose and fructose solubility. Moreover, the toxicity analysis of the constituents is considered to ensure that selected constituents are safe to work with. Finally, the obtained viscosity predictions were used to select DESs that are not transport-limited. To provide more insights into which functional groups are responsible for more effective monosaccharide extraction, a structure-solubility analysis was carried out. Based on an analysis of 212 DES constituents, the top-performing hydrogen bond acceptors were found to be carnitine, betaine, and choline chloride, while the top-performing hydrogen bond donors were oxalic acid, ethanolamine, and citric acid. A research initiative was presented in this paper to develop robust computational frameworks for selecting optimal DESs for a given application to develop an effective DES design strategy that can aid in the development of novel processes using DESs.

Development and optimization of natural deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with UPLC-UV for simultaneous determination of parabens in personal care products: evaluation of the eco-friendliness level of the developed method

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) method has been developed and validated for the determination of parabens in personal care products. In this study, a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) composed of menthol and formic acid at a molar ratio of 1 : 2 was prepared and used as an extraction solvent. The influencing variables on the extraction efficiency such as extraction solvent type and volume, composition of NADES, salt addition, vortex and centrifugation time were investigated. The proposed method exhibited good linearity with determination coefficients of ≥0.9992. The relative recoveries for the studied analytes ranged from 82.19 to 102.45%. Limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the range of 0.17-0.33 ng mL^-1 and 0.51-0.99 ng mL^-1, respectively. To evaluate the applicability of the developed method, it was successfully applied to determine four parabens in personal care products. Additionally, the eco-friendliness level of the presented method was evaluated using Eco-Scale Assessment, Green Analytical Procedure Index and Analytical GREEnness metric. The developed method is simple, environmentally friendly and cost effective and it could be employed for determination of parabens in personal care products without harming the environment.

Evaluating the status quo of deep eutectic solvent in food chemistry. Potentials and limitations

Conventional organic solvents (e.g., methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate) are widely used for extraction, reaction, and separation of valuable compounds. Although these solvents are effective, they have disadvantages, including flammability, toxicity, and persistence in the environment. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are valued for their biodegradability/low impact on the environment, low cost, and ease of manufacture. The objective of this review was to provide an overview of applications of DES in food chemistry, specifically in regard of extraction of polyphenols (e.g., anthocyanin, rutin, kaempferol, quercetin, resveratrol), protein, carbohydrates (e.g., chitin, pectins), lipids and lipid-soluble compounds (e.g., free fatty acids, astaxanthin, β-carotene, terpenoids), biosensor development, and use in food safety (pyrethroids, Sudan I, bisphenol A, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, etc.) over the past five years. A comprehensive analysis and discussion of DES types, preparation, structures, and influencing factors is provided. Furthermore, the potential and disadvantages of using DESs to extract biomolecules were assessed. We concluded that DES is a viable alternative for extracting polyphenols, carbohydrates, and lipids as well as use in food safety monitoring and biosensor development. However, more work is needed to address shortcomings, and determine whether using compounds extracted with DES can be consumed safely.

Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents as Greener Substitutes for Conventional Extraction Media: Examples and Techniques

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are multicomponent designer solvents that exist as stable liquids over a wide range of temperatures. Over the last two decades, research has been dedicated to developing noncytotoxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible DESs to replace commercially available toxic organic solvents. However, most of the DESs formulated until now are hydrophilic and disintegrate via dissolution on coming in contact with the aqueous phase. To expand the repertoire of DESs as green solvents, hydrophobic DESs (HDESs) were prepared as an alternative. The hydrophobicity is a consequence of the constituents and can be modified according to the nature of the application. Due to their immiscibility, HDESs induce phase segregation in an aqueous solution and thus can be utilized as an extracting medium for a multitude of compounds. Here, we review literature reporting the usage of HDESs for the extraction of various organic compounds and metal ions from aqueous solutions and absorption of gases like CO₂. We also discuss the techniques currently employed in the extraction processes. We have delineated the limitations that might reduce the applicability of these solvents and also discussed examples of how DESs behave as reaction media. Our review presents the possibility of HDESs being used as substitutes for conventional organic solvents.

Deep eutectic solvent-based manganese dioxide nanosheets composites for determination of DNA by a colorimetric method

BACKGROUND

Nucleic acid is the carrier of genetic information and the keymolecule in life science. It is important to establish a simple and feasible method for nucleic acid quantification in complex biological samples.

METHODS

Four kinds of hydrogen bond acceptors (choline chloride (ChCl), L-carnitine, tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)) were used to synthesize deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP). DESs based manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanosheets composites was synthesized and characterized. DNA concentration was determined by a UVVis spectrometer. The mechanism of DNA-DES/MnO2 colorimetric system was further discussed.

RESULTS

The composite composed of DES/MnO2 exhibited excellent oxidase-like activity and could oxidize 3,3',5,5' -tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to produce a clear blue change with an absorbance maximum at 652 nm. When DNA is introduced, the DNA can interact with the DES by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions, thereby inhibiting the color reaction of DES/MnO2 with TMB. After condition optimization, ChCl/HFIP DES in 1:3 molar ratio was used for the colorimetric method of DNA determination. The linear range of DNA was 10-130 µg/mL and exhibited good selectivity.

CONCLUSION

A colorimetric method based on DES/MnO2 was developed to quantify the DNA concentration. The proposed method can be successfully used to quantify DNA in bovine serum samples.

Hexafluoroisopropanol-based deep eutectic solvents for high-performance DNA extraction†

In this study, hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were developed and used for DNA extraction from human whole blood samples for the first time. HFIP-based DESs were prepared using HFIP and choline chloride (ChCl)/tetrabutylammonium chloride/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor, respectively. The two-phase system formation was promoted with different inorganic salts as the phase-forming component. According to the strong phase separation capability and high DNA extraction efficiency, DESs consisting of HFIP/ChCl-(NH₄)₂SO₄, HFIP/ChCl-Na₂SO₄ and HFIP/ChCl-MgSO₄ were then selected for application in DNA extraction. The factors that could have impacted the DNA extraction process, including molar ratio of DES, DES addition, salt species and addition, and sample pH, were systematically investigated via single-factor experimental analysis. Furthermore, we selectively examined bovine serum albumin and RNA to assess the specificity of the HFIP-based DESs for DNA extraction. Conclusively, 93.9%, 96.7% and 99.8% DNA could be extracted using the HFIP/ChCl-(NH₄)₂SO₄, HFIP/ChCl-Na₂SO₄, and HFIP/ChCl-MgSO₄ systems, respectively. Moreover, the developed systems were successfully used to extract DNA from human whole blood with satisfactory results. The DNA secondary structure was stable after DES extraction with the electrostatic interaction between DES and DNA as the main force driving DNA adsorption by DES.

In a novel approach, hexafluoroisopropanol-based deep eutectic solvents were synthesized and utilized as an efficient alternative for extracting DNA from human whole blood.

Magnetic Composite Based on Carbon Nanotubes and Deep Eutectic Solvents: Preparation and Its Application for the Determination of Pyrethroids in Tea Drinks

In this study, a novel composite material prepared by using deep eutectic solvent (tetrabutylammonium chloride-dodecanol, DES₅) functionalized magnetic MWCNTs-ZIF-8 (MM/ZIF-8@DES₅) was employed as an adsorbent for the magnetic solid-phase extraction of six pyrethroids from tea drinks. The characterization results show that MM/ZIF-8@DES₅ possessed sufficient specific surface area and superparamagnetism, which could facilitate the rapid enrichment of pyrethroids from tea drink samples. The results of the optimization experiment indicated that DES₅, which comprised tetrabutylammonium chloride and 1-dodecanol, was selected for the next experiment and that the adsorption properties of MM/ZIF-8@DES₅ were higher than those of MM/ZIF-8 and M-MWCNTs. The validation results show that the method has a wide linear range (0.5-400 μg L^-1, R² ≥ 0.9905), low LOD (0.08-0.33 μg L^-1), and good precision (intra-day RSD ≤ 5.6%, inter-day RSD ≤ 8.6%). The method was successfully applied to the determination of pyrethroids in three tea drink samples.

Deep Eutectic Solvents: Alternative Solvents for Biomass-Based Waste Valorization

Innovative technologies can transform what are now considered "waste streams" into feedstocks for a range of products. Indeed, the use of biomass as a source of biopolymers and chemicals currently has a consolidated economic dimension, with well-developed and regulated markets, in which the evaluation of the manufacturing processes relies on specific criteria such as purity and yield, and respects defined regulatory parameters for the process safety. In this context, ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents have been proposed as environmentally friendly solvents for applications related to biomass waste valorization. This mini-review draws attention to some recent advancements in the use of a series of new-solvent technologies, with an emphasis on deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as key players in the development of new processes for biomass waste valorization. This work aims to highlight the role and importance of DESs in the following three strategic areas: chitin recovery from biomass and isolation of valuable chemicals and biofuels from biomass waste streams.

A Critical Review of Emerging Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents' Applications in Food Chemistry: Trends and Opportunities

Due to their low cost, biodegradability, and ease of preparation, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered promising green alternatives to conventional solvents, as exploiting green solvents has been a research focus for achieving sustainable development goals. Most DESs in published studies are hydrophilic. On the other hand, the DES's hydrophilicity restricts its practical applicability to just polar molecules, which is a vital disadvantage to this extractant. Hydrophobic DES (HDES) has been developed as a new extractant adept at extracting nonpolar inorganic and organic compounds from aqueous systems. Although there has been little research on HDESs (HDES publications account for <10% of DES), specific intriguing applications have been discovered, requiring investigation and comparisons. As a result, this review covers the applications of emerging HDES in detecting pesticide residues, food additives, contaminants in food packaging, heavy metals, separation and extraction processes in food. According to the available literature, HDESs have the potential to overcome the limitations of hydrophilic DESs and be used in a broader range of applications in food with greater efficiency, which has received little attention. HDES is expected to substitute a lot of harmful organic extractants used for analytical reasons (food chemistry) in the future. Besides, the limitations of HDES were reviewed, and future studies were provided. This will serve as a reference for green chemistry advocates and practitioners in food science who want to minimize pollution and improve efficiency and benefit from the further development of HDESs.

Nanoextraction based on surface nanodroplets for chemical preconcentration and determination

Liquid-liquid extraction based on surface nanodroplets, namely nanoextraction, can continuously extract and enrich target analytes from the flow of a sample solution. This sample preconcentration technique is easy to operate in a continuous flow system with a low consumption of organic solvent and a high enrichment factor. In this review, the evolution from single drop microextraction to advanced nanoextraction will be briefly introduced. Moreover, the formation principle and key features of surface nanodroplets will be summarized. Further, the major findings of nanoextraction combined with in-droplet chemistry toward sensitive and quantitative detection will be discussed. Finally, we will give our perspectives for the future trend of nanoextraction.

Deep eutectic solvent as acceptor phase in three-phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction for determination of pyrethroid insecticides from environmental water samples prior to HPLC

In this study, a deep eutectic solvent as acceptor phase was applied in three-phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction (DES-HF-LPME) for the microextraction of two pyrethroids (Permethrin as well as deltamethrin) from environmental water samples prior to HPLC-UV. The deep eutectic solvent was synthesized of tetrabutylammonium bromide/decanoic acid (ratio of 1:2) as an acceptor phase, and 1-decanol was applied as a supported liquid membrane. Some main variables affecting the extraction recoveries, comprising the types/content of extraction solvent and acceptor phase, stirring speed, sample phase pH, and extraction time, were checked out and became optimal. In optimum circumstances, the detection limits and limits of quantitation determined were 0.09-0.12 μgL^-1 and 0.29-0.39 μgL^-1 for deltamethrin and permethrin, respectively. The enrichment factors were 627 and 613, while the relative standard deviations (RSD%, n=5) were calculated to be 4.8% and 5.7%, for deltamethrin and permethrin, respectively. The created technique was satisfyingly assessed to ascertain the two pyrethroid poisons (permethrin and deltamethrin) in environmental water samples.

Facile liquid colorimetric sensor using high-density deep eutectic solvent for trace detection and speciation of iron in milk

An efficient colorimetric sensor was developed using a high-density deep eutectic solvent (HD-DES) for the trace detection and speciation of iron in various milk samples. A liquid colorimetric probe was fabricated by dissolving ferrozine (FZ) in HD-DES prepared from TBABr and PBA. The prederivatization of Fe²⁺ via complexation with FZ on the HD-DES/FZ probe provided the [Fe(FZ)₃]^4- complex, which led to a color change from pale yellow to purple before it was simultaneously extracted by HD-DES. The Fe³⁺ content was calculated by subtracting the amount of Fe²⁺ from the total Fe content following the reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ by L-ascorbic acid in an acid buffer. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed colorimetric sensor exhibited appreciable linearity in the concentration range of 0.003-0.04 mg L^-1, a low limit of detection (0.95 µg L^-1), high enrichment factor (50), and outstanding repeatability. The liquid colorimetric probe was successfully applied for the determination and speciation of iron in milk samples, and the results were compared with those obtained using the standard atomic absorption spectrometry method. Moreover, quantitative analysis was performed on a smartphone using the Image J application to estimate the color intensity change, which eliminated the requirement of sophisticated scientific instruments.

Deep Eutectic Solvent as Green Solvent in Extraction of Biological Macromolecules: A Review

Greater awareness of environmental sustainability has driven many industries to transition from using synthetic organic solvents to greener solvents in their manufacturing. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as a highly promising category of green solvents with well-demonstrated and wide-ranging applications, including their use as a solvent in extraction of small-molecule bioactive compounds for food and pharmaceutical applications. The use of DES as an extraction solvent of biological macromolecules, on the other hand, has not been as extensively studied. Thereby, the feasibility of employing DES for biomacromolecule extraction has not been well elucidated. To bridge this gap, this review provides an overview of DES with an emphasis on its unique physicochemical properties that make it an attractive green solvent (e.g., non-toxicity, biodegradability, ease of preparation, renewable, tailorable properties). Recent advances in DES extraction of three classes of biomacromolecules-i.e., proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids-were discussed and future research needs were identified. The importance of DES's properties-particularly its viscosity, polarity, molar ratio of DES components, and water addition-on the DES extraction's performance were discussed. Not unlike the findings from DES extraction of bioactive small molecules, DES extraction of biomacromolecules was concluded to be generally superior to extraction using synthetic organic solvents.

Hydrogen Bonding and Vaporization Thermodynamics in Hexafluoroisopropanol-Acetone and -Methanol Mixtures. A Joined Cluster Analysis and Molecular Dynamic Study

Binary mixtures of hexafluoroisopropanol with either methanol or acetone are analyzed via classical molecular dynamics simulations and quantum cluster equilibrium calculations. In particular, their populations and thermodynamic properties are investigated with the binary quantum cluster equilibrium method, using our in-house code Peacemaker 2.8, upgraded with temperature-dependent parameters. A novel approach, where the final density from classical molecular dynamics, has been used to generate the necessary reference isobars. The hydrogen bond network in both type of mixtures at molar fraction of hexafluoroisopropanol of 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 respectively is investigated via the molecular dynamics trajectories and the cluster results. In particular, the populations show that mixed clusters are preferred in both systems even at 0.2 molar fractions of hexafluoroisopropanol. Enthalpies and entropies of vaporization are calculated for the neat and mixed systems and found to be in good agreement with experimental values.

Development of magnetic solid phase extraction based on magnetic chitosan-graphene oxide nanoparticles and deep eutectic solvents for the determination of flavonoids by high performance liquid chromatography

An environmentally friendly magnetic solid phase extraction method was developed based on magnetic chitosan-graphene oxide nanoparticles and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the pre-concentration and isolation of flavonoids (apigenin, morin, naringenin, and quercetin) of natural orange juice, commercial apple juice, onion juice, green tea, and natural apple juice samples. DESs via hydrophilic and π-π interactions could increase the extraction performance. The immobilization of chitosan-graphene oxide on the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles improved their chemical properties and mechanical stability. In addition, the prepared magnetic nanoparticles with the hydrophilic polymeric network and the high surface area of the graphene oxide increased the access of binding sites and extraction performance. The use of DESs as desorption of solvent and the individual properties of MANPs provided the ability for high extraction recovery and accelerates the time to reach equilibrium. The principal variables that influence microextraction efficiency, including the extraction time, type of DES, stirring rate, desorption time, type of eluent solvent, and pH of the sample solution, were screened via the Plackett-Burman design and then the variables were optimized by the Box-Behnken design. Under the optimum conditions obtained, the developed method showed a good working range (R² ≥ 0.9962). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.03 μg L^-1 (morin) to 0.14 μg L^-1 (naringenin) and from 0.09 μg L^-1 (morin) to 0.46 μg L^-1 (naringenin) variables, respectively. The intraday precision was in the range of 4.1-4.8. In order to experiment with the precision and applicability of the MSPE-DES method, spiking recovery studies were performed in beverages and vegetable samples (natural orange juice, onion juice, commercial apple juice, natural apple juice, and green tea). The recovery results for real samples were calculated as 90-102%.

Deep Eutectic Solvents Application in Food Analysis

Current trends in Analytical Chemistry are focused on the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly procedures. However, and despite technological advances at the instrumental level having played a very important role in the greenness of the new methods, there is still work to be done regarding the sample preparation stage. In this sense, the implementation of new materials and solvents has been a great step towards the development of "greener" analytical methodologies. In particular, the application of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has aroused great interest in recent years in this regard, as a consequence of their excellent physicochemical properties, general low toxicity, and high biodegradability if they are compared with classical organic solvents. Furthermore, the inclusion of DESs based on natural products (natural DESs, NADESs) has led to a notable increase in the popularity of this new generation of solvents in extraction techniques. This review article focuses on providing an overview of the applications and limitations of DESs in solvent-based extraction techniques for food analysis, paying especial attention to their hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature, which is one of the main factors affecting the extraction procedure, becoming even more important when such complex matrices are studied.

Ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-phase microextraction by solidifying L-menthol-decanoic acid hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for detection of five fungicides in fruit juices and tea drinks

An ecofriendly and efficient ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvents dispersive liquid-phase microextraction by solidifying the deep eutectic solvents-rich phase was developed to determine azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, epoxiconazole, cyprodinil, and prochloraz in fruit juices and tea drinks by high-performance liquid chromatography. A varieties of environmental hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents serving as extraction agents were prepared using L-menthol and decanoic acid as hydrogen-bond acceptor and hydrogen-bond donor, respectively. The deep eutectic solvents were ultrasonically dispersed in sample solutions, solidified in a freezer and easily harvested. The main variables were optimized by one-factor-at-a-time and response surface test. The new method performs well with relative recovery of 71.75-109.40%, linear range of 2.5-5000 μg/L (r ≥ 0.9968), detection limit of 0.75-8.45 μg/L, quantification limit of 2.5-25 μg/L,_, and inter- and intraday relative standard deviations below 13.53 and 14.84%, respectively. As for the extraction mechanism, deep eutectic solvents were disposed into many fine particles in the solution and captured the analytes based on the changes of particle size and quantity in deep eutectic solvents droplets after extraction. The environmental method can successfully detect fungicide residues in real fruit juices and tea drinks.

1-Octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate-functionalised magnetic poly β-cyclodextrin for magnetic solid-phase extraction ofpyrethroids from tea infusions

In this study, a novel sorbent, 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate functionalised magnetic poly β-cyclodextrin, was successfully synthesised and applied to magnetic solid-phase extraction for the determination of pyrethroids in tea infusions. The sorbent was characterised by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement. All factors affecting extraction efficiency, such as sorbent amount, extraction time, ionic strength and desorption conditions, were optimised individually. Under the chosen conditions, wide linearity (2.5-500 μg L^-1) with determination coefficients ranging from 0.9995 to 0.9999, low limits of detection of 0.32-0.54 μg L^-1 and good precision (intra-day: 2.6-7.0%; inter-day: 3.5-7.6%) were achieved for four pyrethroids in tea infusions. The relative recoveries of target analytes in real tea infusion samples were from 70% to 101% with relative standard deviations lower than 9.1%. We conclude that the proposed method is promising in the detection of pyrethroids in tea infusions.

In-syringe ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with HPLC for the determination of trans,trans-muconic acid in human urine sample

trans,trans-Muconic acid has been widely used as a biomarker in biological monitoring of benzene-exposed workers during routine occupational health services. In the present study, a novel microextraction technique, in-syringe ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, was implemented for preconcentration of trans,trans-muconic acid followed by analytical determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Moreover, the important variables affecting the performance of applied microextraction technique including needle diameter, volume of the spiked sample, volume of the ionic liquid, salt addition, rotation speed of centrifugation, centrifuge time, and ultrasonic time were optimized by experimental design. A good linear relationship was observed at the range of 0.032-10 μg/mL between the peak area and the concentration levels (R²  = 0.9997). The limit of detection and extraction recovery for trans,trans-muconic acid were 0.011 μg/mL and >96.2%, respectively. This method provided easy and rapid analysis of low amounts of trans,trans-muconic acid in human urine with simple equipment.