Abstract: Micro-extraction is considered as one of the most critical step in the entire analytical process because it can effectively remove interference and pre-concentrate the target analytes. Molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymers with a predetermined selectivity for a given analyte, or group of structurally related compounds, which are excellent materials for sample preparation in the process of micro-extraction owing to their high selectivity and ability. This review provides a critical overview of the synthesis and characterization of MIPs and with a focus on the recent applications in the field of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid-phase microextraction (LPME). The advantages and drawbacks of the applications of MIPs used in SPME and LPME as well as the future expected trends are also discussed
Author keywords: Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), micro-extraction technology, Solid-phase microextraction (SPME), liquid-phase microextraction (LPME)