Molecularly imprinted polymers for (90)Sr urine bioassay

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Radiochemistry

Background:

• Radioactive strontium (Sr) contamination poses health risks.
• Accurate bioassays for Sr in biological samples are crucial for monitoring exposure.
• Existing methods for Sr detection in urine can be complex and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a selective sorbent for strontium-90 (90Sr) in urine bioassays.
• To synthesize and characterize a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for Sr(2+) recognition.
• To optimize the extraction conditions for 90Sr from urine samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6)-based MIP particles.
• Characterization of MIP particle size and morphology.
• Optimization of solid-phase extraction (SPE) parameters including pH, ionic strength, and particle amount.
• Liquid scintillation analysis (LSA) for quantifying 90Sr.
• Precipitation of interfering Yttrium-90 (90Y) using TiO(2).

Main Results:

• DCH18C6-MIP particles with a diameter of 326 ± 2 nm were successfully synthesized.
• Optimized conditions enabled efficient selective extraction of 90Sr from urine.
• The method achieved high selectivity for Sr(2+) over other urine matrix components.
• Interfering 90Y was effectively removed prior to 90Sr analysis.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized DCH18C6-MIP is a highly selective and effective sorbent for 90Sr in urine bioassays.
• This MIP-based SPE method simplifies and improves the accuracy of 90Sr monitoring in biological samples.
• The developed technique holds potential for routine clinical and environmental monitoring of radioactive strontium exposure.