Performance evaluation of a new microextraction method using natural deep eutectic solvents for the quantitative determination of steroid drugs

The misuse of anabolic steroids and their increased pharmaceutical use have led to drug residues polluting surface waters, posing risks to public health. Detecting these compounds in natural waters requires sensitive analytical methods. Traditional extraction methods like liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) use large amounts of toxic organic solvents, which not aligned green chemistry principles. This study aims to develop natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) as ecofriendly alternatives with adjustable properties and strong extraction ability to improve efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability. Hence, this study focuses on the development and application of NADES as green alternatives for the analytical determination of anabolic steroid drugs. The research is structured into four main phases; preparation and characterization of NADES; evaluation of NADES as a dispersive solvent in vortexassisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (VADLLME); computational studies to confirm the stability of selected NADES by theoretical and experimental study from previous objective; and evaluation of Alginate–NADES (Alg–NADES) solid sorbent beads in dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-µ-SPE) for the analysis of selected anabolic steroid drugs, alongside a greenness assessment using the AGREE metric calculator. The physicochemical characterization of Lactic acid–Sorbitol ((LA)–Sor) was conducted using ATR-FTIR, confirming its successful preparation.