Magnetic ionic liquids in sample preparation: Recent advances and future trends

Abstract

In the last decades, a myriad of materials has been synthesized and utilized for the development of sample preparation procedures. The use of their magnetic analogues has gained significant attention and many procedures have been developed using magnetic materials. In this context, the benefits of a new class of magnetic ionic liquids (MILs), as non-conventional solvents, have been reaped in sample preparation procedures. MILs combine the advantageous properties of ionic liquids along with the magnetic properties, creating an unsurpassed combination. Owing to their unique nature and inherent benefits, the number of published reports on sample preparation with MILs is increasing. This fact, along with the many different types of extraction procedures that are developed, suggests that this is a promising field of research. Advances in the field are achieved both by developing new MILs with better properties (showing either stronger response to external magnetic fields or tunable extractive properties) and by developing and/or combining methods, resulting in advanced ones. In this advancing field of research, a good understanding of the existing literature is needed. This review aims to provide a literature update on the current trends of MILs in different modes of sample preparation, along with the current limitations and the prospects of the field. The use of MILs in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction, single drop microextraction, matrix solid-phase dispersion, etc., is discussed herein among others.