Preparation and application of sulfaguanidine-imprinted polymer on solid-phase extraction of pharmaceuticals from water

The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with sulfaguanidine as a template, methacrylic acid, 4-vinylpyridine, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate as functional monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and 2,2′-azobis-isobutyronitrile as an initiator have been prepared through the cross-link reaction of polymerization. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for the extraction of sulfaguanidine from water samples using the prepared MIPs and non-imprinted (NIPs) was evaluated. The best MIP in combination with commercial sorbents was applied for simultaneous extraction of eight pharmaceuticals. New SPE cartridges were prepared by combination of optimal produced MIP and Oasis HLB in 6mL of polypropilene SPE reservoir. The developed method which includes new SPE cartridge (MIPMAA-Oasis HLB, 400mg/6mL) and thin-layer chromatography was validated. The method provides a linear response over the concentration range of 0.5–150μg/L, depending on the pharmaceutical with the correlation coefficients>0.9843 in all cases except for norfloxacin (0.9770) and penicillin G procaine (0.9801). Also, the method has revealed low limits of detection (0.25–20μg/L), good precision (intra and inter-day), a relative standard deviation below 15% and recoveries above 95% for all eight pharmaceuticals. The developed method by using newly prepared SPE cartridge has been successfully applied to the analysis of production wastewater samples from pharmaceutical industry. [Display omitted] •First sulfaguanidine-imprinted polymers.•The prepared MIPs and NIPs were characterized by FTIR and SEM.•The best MIP (MIPMAA) was used in the combination with commercial sorbents.•Validation of developed MISPE–HPTLC method for determination of 8 pharmaceuticals.•Analysis of production wastewater samples.