Application of deep eutectic solvents in the pre-processing of atomic spectrometry analysis

The limitations of atomic spectrometry (AS) for analyte quantitation and identification at trace and ultra-trace levels in complex matrices necessitate pre-processing. Extraction and digestion, both of which usually necessitate a large quantity of volatile and toxic solvents, are two of the most major pre-processing methods. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), are environmentally friendly and exhibit extraordinary properties that researchers use to improve extraction and digestion efficiencies. Based on recent DES research, this review emphasizes applications of DESs in two representative pre-processing operations of AS analysis: liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) and solid sample digestion. Furthermore, several limitations and prospects on DESs in pre-processing for AS analysis are discussed.