Objective Pyrethroid pesticides, characterized by high lipophilicity and environmental persistence, are prone to bioaccumulation in aquatic products, posing severe threats to food safety and human health. Given the complex matrices and trace residue levels in aquatic products, conventional detection methods face significant challenges. This paper systematically summarizes the fundamental principles of molecular imprinting technology (MIT), the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), their applications in sample separation and purification, as well as the integration of molecular imprinting-based sensing and chromatography. Furthermore, it prospects the future application of MIT in the safety detection of aquatic products.

Progress  By mimicking the specific antigen-antibody recognition mechanism, MIPs exhibit exceptionally high selective adsorption capacity for pyrethroids. This enables the effective enrichment of trace residues from complex aquatic product matrices, overcoming the challenges of severe interference and low recovery rates associated with conventional sample preparation methods. Furthermore, MIPs possess superior physicochemical stability and anti-interference capabilities, along with excellent reusability. They can significantly reduce matrix effects, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of detection data for multiple pyrethroid residues in aquatic products, thereby providing robust technical support for food safety regulation.

Prospect  Currently, MIPs face challenges such as weak recognition in aqueous environments, limited adsorption capacity, and difficulties in scale-up applications. It is essential to enhance their detection performance through material modification and process optimization. Additionally, promoting the integration of multiple technologies and the development of portable devices will be key to successfully applying this technology in the regulation of pesticide residues in aquaculture.