Opioid Drug Detection in Hair Samples Using Polyoxometalate-Based Frameworks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyoxometalate-based frameworks (PBFs) are emerging materials with diverse applications.
• Developing efficient methods for drug detection in biological samples is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel 2D polyoxometalate frameworks.
• To investigate the potential of these frameworks as sorbents for opioid drug extraction and determination.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and structural characterization of four 2D PBFs using techniques including single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
• Application of dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (D-μSPE) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for opioid drug analysis.

Main Results:

• The synthesized frameworks exhibit a unique 2D layer structure suitable for surface binding.
• The PBFs demonstrated effectiveness as sorbents for extracting morphine, methadone, and pethidine from hair samples.
• The D-μSPE-HPLC method achieved wide linear ranges (0.3–300 ng mg⁻¹) and low limits of detection (0.1–0.2 ng mg⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• The novel 2D polyoxometalate frameworks are effective for the sensitive determination of opioid drugs in hair.
• This study presents the first application of polyoxomolybdate-containing frameworks for drug analysis.
• The developed method offers a promising tool for forensic toxicology and drug monitoring.