Advanced Sample Pretreatment for Environmental Analysis

Environmental analytical chemistry forms the essential foundation for progress in environmental science and protection. It bears the critical responsibility of developing sensitive and selective qualitative and quantitative methods that reveal the presence, forms, and migration patterns of pollutants—enabling sound assessments of ecological and health risks. With growing attention to complex and ultra-complex environmental systems, researchers face persistent challenges in accurately identifying and quantifying analytes within difficult matrices. Environmental samples are inherently diverse, often containing trace-level analytes with properties closely resembling the background, which complicates detection. Despite major advances in analytical instrumentation, direct raw-sample analyses remain largely infeasible, and accurate trace detection continues to be challenging. Consequently, rational and efficient sample pretreatment has become indispensable to unlock the full analytical potential of instruments and guarantee reliable interpretation of data. Recent progress has been reported in functional materials, miniaturized and integrated devices, and sustainable approaches, yet key knowledge gaps persist regarding automation, energy efficiency, and reproducibility in real-world sample processing.

This Research Topic aims to advance the field of sample pretreatment in environmental analysis by fostering innovations in materials, methods, and integrated devices that enable efficient, sustainable, and high-performance analysis. The collection seeks to promote the exploration of new mechanisms and hybrid strategies that can overcome the bottlenecks posed by complex matrices and trace detection. Particular emphasis will be given to research that enhances selectivity, sensitivity, throughput, and automation in sample pretreatment workflows. The overarching goal is to support next-generation analytical systems that can offer reliable, scalable, and eco-friendly solutions for environmental monitoring and protection.

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives covering the latest developments in sample pretreatment materials, methods, technologies, apparatus, and mechanisms as applied to environmental analytical chemistry and related areas. Within the broad field of sample pretreatment and preparation for environmental analysis, we particularly invite submissions on, but not limited to, the following themes:

This Research Topic focuses on the development and optimization of pretreatment techniques designed to improve the precision and efficiency of environmental analyses. It encompasses both innovative technological concepts and practical applications across diverse environmental media.

To gather further insights within this broad domain, we welcome contributions including, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Design and synthesis of functional materials for sample pretreatment, including molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), metal–organic and covalent–organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs), hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), and hybrid materials
• Development and integration of extraction technologies such as liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), solid-phase extraction (SPE), liquid–solid extraction (LSE), membrane extraction, QuEChERS, and combined approaches (e.g., LLE–SPE)
• Green and sustainable sample preparation strategies
• Design and fabrication of advanced pretreatment devices and portable analytical modules
• Platforms based on microfluidic, nanofluidic, or lab-on-chip technologies for sample handling and separation
• Sampling and pretreatment methods for unique or extreme environments (e.g., polar regions, deep ocean, subsurface, or extraterrestrial conditions)
• AI-assisted optimization, automation, and data-driven process control in sample pretreatment

We hope this Research Topic will inspire readers and further stimulate innovation in sample pretreatment, contributing to more effective environmental monitoring and protection efforts.

Appendix: Article types considered: original research articles, reviews, and perspectives.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Sample pretreatment, Sample preparation, Extraction technology, Functional materials, Complex matrices, Special environment

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.