Sustainable and high efficiency natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents in analytical chemistry

Reducing environmental impact of scientific and industrial activities require eco-friendly solvents to replace volatile organics. Natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (NaHDES) synthesized from renewable materials have attracted increasing attention due to their low toxicity and biodegradability. With excellent physicochemical properties, such as lower polarity, NaHDES offer significant advantages in the extraction of non-polar analytes, making them suitable in green analytical applications. This article reviews the applications of NaHDES in food analysis, where NaHDES are used to extract bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and quercetin, and to detect food additives to protect food safety; in plant analysis, where NaHDES improve extraction efficiency and reduce processing time while avoiding harmful solvent residues for extraction of bioactive substances such as phytocannabinoids and polyisoprene acetate; and in water analysis, where NaHDES are used to extract pollutants such as phenolic compounds, pesticides, and heavy metals, reducing water pollution. Prospects for future developments are outlined.