Molecularly-Imprinted Silica Nanoparticles for Rapid and Selective Detection of Atenolol in Artificial Urine Samples

Abstract

Herein, a novel molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized on silica nanoparticles via surface imprinting approach for rapid, sensitive and selective detection of atenolol in artificial urine samples. For this purpose, silica nanoparticles were firstly modified with methacryloxy group for surface initiated polymerization and then, polymerization was carried out in the presence of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (functional monomer), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linker), azobisisobutyronitrile (initiator), atenolol (template) and acetonitrile (porogen). The surface characterization of imprinted nanoparticles indicated that a thin polymer layer was grafted on the silica nanoparticles. The rebinding properties of the imprinted nanoparticles were investigated in detail and the results revealed that the imprinted nanoparticles had high adsorption capacity (32.06 mg/g), fast adsorption kinetics (15 min for equilibration), high imprinting factor (4.14) towards atenolol and good regeneration ability. The imprinted nanoparticles were also used as selective sorbent for selective extraction and determination of atenolol in artificial urine samples. The results showed that the proposed method good recovery percentages (98.6 %-100.1%) with low standard deviations (less than 4.4%). It is believed that the atenolol-imprinted silica nanoparticles can be used as an alternative sorbent for selective quantification of atenolol in artificial urine samples.