Recent trends in the use of organized molecular systems combined with chromatographic techniques in environmental analysis

The establishment of new analytical methods which improve quality and sensitivity in the determination of environmental pollutants in liquid and solid samples is demanded. The use of micellar systems have become an advantageous tool for the extraction of pollutant compounds, due to their easy handling, biodegradability, and the one-step procedure, and they are compatible with the hydroalcoholic mobile phases used in HPLC. The focus of this review is to present recently developed methods and the main trends in the use of micellar media combined with solid-phase microextraction and solid-phase extraction in the chromatographic analysis of organic compounds in different types of environmental matrix, including water, sediments, and biological samples. Selected samples illustrate the benefits of these systems in the whole of analytical process. The advantages of micellar media over conventional extractants are reduction of solvent usage, low cost, easy handling, and non-toxic procedure.