Magnetic Analytical Extraction for Detection of Antibiotic Residues in Food Samples

Antibiotic residues in food of animal origin present a persistent threat to consumer safety and contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Conventional sample-preparation techniques such as liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) are effective but are often time-consuming, solvent-intensive, and difficult to automate. Magnetic analytical extraction (MAE) — an umbrella term that includes magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE), magnetic solid-phase microextraction (MSPME), magnetic stir-bar sorptive extraction (MSBSE), magnetic matrix solid-phase dispersion (M-MSPD), and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) variants — offers rapid, selective, and greener alternatives. MAE uses functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) or magnetic matrices to selectively capture analytes from complex matrices; analytes are recovered by a small volume of eluent and the magnetic sorbent is separated with an external magnet, eliminating filtration or centrifugation. This review synthesizes the principles, sorbent chemistries, analytical coupling, and applications of MAE for antibiotic residue monitoring in milk, meat and eggs, discusses current limitations (matrix effects, selectivity, and multi-class analysis) and outlines plausible directions for future development including molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), magnetic ionic liquids, automation, and AI-guided method optimization.