Intelligent Cellulose-Based Sorbent for Light-Driven Solid-Phase Extraction of Amphetamine

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing selective and efficient sorbent materials is crucial for trace analyte extraction.
• Light-responsive materials offer novel mechanisms for controlled capture and release.
• Existing methods for amphetamine analysis can be complex and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a light-responsive cellulose-based sorbent (Cell-Azo) for amphetamine (AMP) solid-phase extraction.
• To investigate the adsorption and light-triggered desorption characteristics of Cell-Azo.
• To establish a sensitive analytical method for trace AMP detection in complex matrices.

Main Methods:

• Grafting azobenzene onto cellulose via atom-transfer radical polymerization to create Cell-Azo.
• Characterization using FT-IR, XPS, and UV-vis spectroscopy.
• Batch adsorption studies and development of a dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) protocol coupled with HPLC-UV.

Main Results:

• Cell-Azo demonstrated successful grafting and light-induced reversible isomerization.
• Maximum adsorption capacity was 19.86 mg·g⁻¹ at pH 9.0.
• UV light triggered AMP release with 90.54% desorption efficiency, significantly higher than in the dark.
• The d-SPE-HPLC-UV method showed wide linearity, low LOD (7 μg·L⁻¹), and good precision.
• Recoveries in spiked urine samples ranged from 69.53-75.68%.

Conclusions:

• Cell-Azo is an effective intelligent sorbent for light-driven solid-phase extraction of AMP.
• The light-controlled release mechanism offers a significant advantage over conventional methods.
• Cell-Azo presents a promising green and controllable alternative for trace AMP analysis in complex biological samples.