Selective solid-phase extraction of tebuconazole in biological and environmental samples using molecularly imprinted...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Tebuconazole (TBZ) is a widely used fungicide, necessitating reliable methods for its detection in various matrices.
• Existing analytical methods for TBZ often face challenges with selectivity and efficiency in complex samples.
• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) present a promising alternative for selective analyte recognition and extraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) of tebuconazole (TBZ).
• To evaluate the performance of MIP-based SPE (MISPE) for the preconcentration and determination of TBZ in diverse biological and environmental samples.
• To compare the efficacy of MISPE with conventional SPE sorbents like C18 and strong cation exchange (SCX).

Main Methods:

• MIPs were synthesized using precipitation polymerization with TBZ as the template molecule.
• Frontal chromatography and selectivity experiments were conducted to characterize MIP binding properties.
• Optimized MISPE protocol involved specific conditioning, loading, washing, and elution steps.
• TBZ analysis was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Main Results:

• The synthesized MIPs demonstrated high binding selectivity and capability for TBZ.
• Optimized MISPE achieved selective recognition, effective trapping, and preconcentration of TBZ from 0.5-15 µmol/L.
• High recoveries were obtained for spiked samples: cabbage (62.3%), pannage (75.8%), shrimp (71.6%), orange juice (89%), and tap water (93.9%).
• MISPE exhibited superior performance compared to C18 SPE and SCX SPE in terms of separation efficiency and recovery rates.

Conclusions:

• MIPs are effective sorbents for the selective solid-phase extraction of tebuconazole.
• The developed MISPE method offers a sensitive and efficient approach for TBZ determination in complex matrices.
• MISPE provides a valuable alternative to conventional SPE methods for trace analysis of pesticides.