Recent advances in ionic liquid-based microextraction for pesticide residue analysis in food and environmental...

Pesticide residues in food and environmental samples remain a global concern for food safety and environmental protection. Conventional extraction methods such as QuEChERS, 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) are promising alternatives to conventional organic solvents because of their tunable polarity, negligible vapor pressure, and thermal stability. This review summarizes the latest advancements in IL-based microextraction techniques, including ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME), in situ 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. IL-based microextraction methods significantly reduce solvent consumption while maintaining high analytical performance. Remaining challenges, such as IL viscosity, synthesis cost, and limited biodegradability, are discussed with advances in biodegradable, task-specific, and hybrid IL-deep eutectic solvent systems. Overall, IL-assisted microextraction offers a sensitive, sustainable, and scalable approach for next-generation pesticide residue analysis.