Recent molecularly imprinted polymer-based sample preparation techniques in environmental analysis

• The use of MIPs in sample preparation for environmental analysis is critically reviewed.
• The use MIPs in SPE, SPME and SBSE are the more advanced technical applications.
• Other combinations (i.e. liquid membranes) are promising.

In spite of the huge development in analytical instrumentation, the improvement of the selectivity during extraction and/or subsequent clean-up of sample extracts in environmental analysis is an area of intense research activity. At this regard, the incorporation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in sample preparation appears as one of the most versatile and promising alternative. MIPs are tailor-made stable polymers with molecular recognition abilities, provided by the presence of a template during their synthesis and thus are excellent materials to provide selectivity to sample preparation. In the present review, the use of MIPs in sample preparation for environmental analysis, including its already well-stablished use in solid-phase extraction as well as its recent incorporation to other extraction techniques such as solid-phase microextraction, stir bar sorptive extraction and its combination with liquid membranes is described. The advantages and drawbacks of each methodology as well as the future expected trends are discussed.