Advances in sustainable pretreatment techniques for mass spectrometry analysis of environmental pollutants

The rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization worldwide has intensified pollutant emissions, posing serious threats to ecosystems and human health. Although mass spectrometry (MS) has become a central tool in environmental analysis owing to its high sensitivity and selectivity, sample pretreatment remains a major bottleneck, largely because of the limitations of conventional methods. In response, a range of novel green pretreatment techniques has emerged. This review systematically examines the integration of green pretreatment strategies with MS for environmental pollutant analysis, and highlights innovations in green solvents (natural and synthetic), green adsorbents (bio-based and engineered), solvent-free extraction techniques, and automation. Representative examples include natural deep eutectic solvents, supercritical carbon dioxide, cellulose-based materials, metal-organic frameworks, solid-phase microextraction, and magnetic solid-phase extraction. When coupled with automated systems, these approaches significantly improve the sensitivity, accuracy, and sustainability of trace pollutant analysis across complex environmental matrices. Green pretreatment strategies also demonstrate considerable practical utility in soil, water, and air monitoring, providing robust data for environmental risk assessment and pollution control. Looking ahead, the automated and intelligent integration of green pretreatment techniques with MS will further advance sustainable environmental monitoring.