Microwave-assisted extraction: Recent advances in optimization, synergistic approaches, and applications for green chemistry

• MAE: A green tech reducing extraction time, solvent, and energy. • Systematic review of MAE optimization for diverse natural compounds. • Explores synergistic MAE with novel green solvents and technologies. • Highlights advanced AI/ML for MAE process prediction and control. The global shift towards sustainable industrial practices has spurred the development of green extraction technologies to replace conventional methods, which are often inefficient and environmentally burdensome. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) stands out as a promising alternative, leveraging volumetric heating to achieve rapid, efficient, and selective recovery of natural compounds. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in MAE. It systematically examines optimization strategies for key parameters (e.g., microwave power, time, solvent) and explores innovative synergistic approaches, such as combining MAE with ultrasound or environmentally friendly solvents like deep eutectic solvents and ionic liquids. Through comparative analyses, the review demonstrates MAE's clear superiority over traditional techniques in terms of reduced extraction time and solvent consumption, while achieving higher yields and preserving compound bioactivity. The manuscript details diverse application-specific extractions in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, and highlights MAE's critical role in analytical sample preparation. Finally, it discusses the growing integration of advanced modeling and artificial intelligence to predict and optimize MAE processes. This synthesis serves as a valuable resource for researchers, outlining key trends, challenges, and future research directions to further advance MAE as a cornerstone of sustainable extraction.