A needle extraction utilizing a molecularly imprinted-sol–gel xerogel for on-line microextraction of the lung cancer biomarker bilirubin from plasma and urine samples

Recent molecularly imprinted polymers applications in bioanalysis

Molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) as extraordinary compounds with unique features have presented a wide range of applications and benefits to researchers. In particular when used as a sorbent in sample preparation methods for the analysis of biological samples and complex matrices. Its application in the extraction of medicinal species has attracted much attention and a growing interest. This review focus on articles and research that deals with the application of MIPs in the analysis of components such as biomarkers, drugs, hormones, blockers and inhibitors, especially in biological matrices. The studies based on MIP applications in bioanalysis and the deployment of MIPs in high-throughput settings and optimization of extraction methods are presented. A review of more than 200 articles and research works clearly shows that the superiority of MIP techniques lies in high accuracy, reproducibility, sensitivity, speed and cost effectiveness which make them suitable for clinical usage. Furthermore, this review present MIP-based extraction techniques and MIP-biosensors which are categorized on their classes based on common properties of target components. Extraction methods, studied sample matrices, target analytes, analytical techniques and their results for each study are described. Investigations indicate satisfactory results using MIP-based bioanalysis. According to the increasing number of studies on method development over the last decade, the use of MIPs in bioanalysis is growing and will further expand the scope of MIP applications for less studied samples and analytes.

Preparation of a New Solid-Phase Microextraction Fiber Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Monitoring of Phenobarbital in Urine Samples

A simple solid-phase microextraction technique using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP-SPME) was prepared to monitor phenobarbital in urine samples. In this technique, the fiber was prepared via insertion of the modified stainless-steel wire in the reaction solution including 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of an acidic catalyst (acetic acid). The fabricated MIP-SPME fiber was utilized to selectively extract phenobarbital from urine samples and prepare it for detection through high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The synthesized MIPs were characterized by several techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The effects of various influencing factors on the extraction yield of phenobarbital were considered and optimized. The conditions that yielded the maximum extraction efficiency were as follows: pH of 5, 25 min extraction time, 500 rpm stirring rate, 15 min desorption time and using methanol as elution solvent. Within the range of concentrations of 0.02 to 100 μg mL-1, the method had linear characteristics, with a suitable coefficient of determination (0.9983). We determined limits of detection and limits of quantification to be 9.88 and 32.9 ng mL-1, respectively. The repeatability and reproducibility of the prepared fibers were 4.6 and 6.5%, respectively.

Polydopamine inner wall-coated hypodermic needle as microextraction device and electrospray emitter for the direct analysis of illicit drugs in oral fluid by ambient mass spectrometry

In this article, polydopamine inner wall-coated hypodermic needles (PDA-HNs) are evaluated as both microextraction devices and electrospray ionization (ESI) emitters for determining selected illicit drugs (methamphetamine, cocaine, and methadone) in oral fluid samples. The PDA film, located in the inner wall of the needle, allows the extraction of the analytes at alkaline pH, where their hydrophobic character is promoted. The extracted analytes are finally eluted in a methanol/formic acid mixture that also acts as ESI solution. For this purpose, a dedicated interface based on the connection of a PEEK tube with the needle hub is proposed. This assembly allows delivering the ESI solution by the infusion syringe pump of the mass spectrometer, providing an efficient ESI on the tip of the needle. The double use of the PDA-HNs as microextraction devices and ESI emitters permits the determination of the target analytes with limits of detection and precision (expressed as relative standard deviation) values better than 2.4 μg/L and 17.6%, respectively. The accuracy was evaluated by analyzing independent spiked oral fluid samples, obtaining good results.

Molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction/microextraction of cancer biomarkers: A review

Over recent years, great efforts have been extensively documented in top scientific journals on the development of methods for early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of cancers which are prevalent critical diseases with a high mortality rate among men and women. The determination of cancer biomarkers using different optimum methodologies is one of the finest options for achieving these goals with more precision, speed, and at a lower cost than traditional clinical procedures. In this regard, while focusing on specific biomarkers, molecularly imprinted technology has enabled novel diagnostic techniques for a variety of diseases. Due to the well-known advantages of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), this review focuses on the current trends of MIPs-based extraction/microextraction methods, specifically targeting cancer biomarkers from various matrices. These optimized methods have demonstrated high selectivity, accuracy, sorbent reusability, extraction recovery, and low limits of detection and quantification for a variety of cancer biomarkers, which are a powerful tool to provide early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring, with potential clinical application expected soon. This review highlights the key progress, specific modifications, and strategies used for MIP synthesis. The future perspectives for cancer biomarkers purification and determination by fabricating MIP-based techniques are also discussed.

Matrix compatibility of typical sol-gel solid-phase microextraction coatings in undiluted plasma and whole blood for the analysis of phthalic acid esters

Sol-gel materials have been widely used for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coatings due to their outstanding performance; in contrast, sol-gel SPME coatings have seldom been used for in vivo sampling. The main reason is that their matrix compatibility is unclear. In order to promote the application of this type of coating and accelerate the development of in vivo SPME, in this study, the matrix compatibility of several typical sol-gel coatings was assessed in plasma and whole blood using phthalic acid esters as analytes. The service life of five kinds of sol-gel coatings was among 20-35 times in undiluted plasma, while it was 27 times for a homemade commercial polydimethylsiloxane coating, which indicates good matrix compatibility of sol-gel coatings in untreated plasma. The sol-gel hydroxy-terminated silicone oil/methacrylic acid fiber achieved the highest extraction ability among all of the fibers, and it was tested in pig whole blood. It could be continuously used for at least 22 times, demonstrating good potential for in vivo sampling. Subsequently, a direct-immersion SPME/gas chromatography-flame ionization detection method was established for the determination of 5 phthalic acid esters in blood. Compared with other methods reported in the literature, this method is rapid, simple, sensitive, and accurate, and does not need expensive instruments or tedious procedures. A simulation system of animal blood circulation was constructed to verify the practicability of sol-gel SPME coatings in animal vein sampling. The result illustrated the feasibility of that coating for in vivo blood sampling, but a more accurate quantification calibration approach needs to be explored.

Polydopamine coated hypodermic needles as a microextraction device for the determination of tricyclic antidepressants in oral fluid by direct infusion MS/MS

In-needle microextraction consists of the confinement of the sorbent, by coating or packing, inside a metallic needle. The size of the needles reduces the eluent requirements providing an efficient preconcentration of the analytes. In this work, hypodermic needles coated with polydopamine (PDA) are presented as microextraction devices to isolate six tricyclic antidepressants from oral fluid samples. The coating consists of the in-surface polymerization of dopamine at pH 8.5 and mild conditions (room temperature and water as solvent). The PDA coating over the stainless-steel surface confers the needles with a high extraction ability towards the target analytes. After the extraction, the eluates were analyzed by direct infusion MS spectrometry, working in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, which provided a sample throughput of 30 samples per hour. The variables affecting the synthesis (number of coating cycles, the concentration of dopamine, and needle surface pre-treatment) and the extraction (sample salinity, sample loading cycles, and the number of elution strokes) were studied in depth. Under the optimum conditions, a matrix-matched calibration model was built. The limits of quantification are between 2 and 5 ng mL⁻¹ with linear ranges up to 1000 ng mL⁻¹ for all analytes. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), is better than 10% for all analytes. Accuracy was calculated as recovery, and the obtained values are between 84% and 107%. A single-blind assay was also performed to evaluate the suitability of the method for real application.

Hypodermic needles coated with polydopamine for the extraction of antidepressants.

The Importance of Developing Electrochemical Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for a Rapid Detection of Antioxidants

This review aims to pin out the importance of developing a technique for rapid detection of antioxidants, based on molecular imprinting techniques. It covers three major areas that have made great progress over the years in the field of research, namely: antioxidants characterization, molecular imprinting and electrochemistry, alone or combined. It also reveals the importance of bringing these three areas together for a good evaluation of antioxidants in a simple or complex medium, based on selectivity and specificity. Although numerous studies have associated antioxidants with molecular imprinting, or antioxidants with electrochemistry, but even electrochemistry with molecular imprinting to valorize different compounds, the growing prominence of antioxidants in the food, medical, and paramedical sectors deserves to combine the three areas, which may lead to innovative industrial applications with satisfactory results for both manufacturers and consumers.

Application of chiral chromatography in radiopharmaceutical fields: A review

Chiral column chromatography (CCC) is a revolutionary analytical methodology for the enantioseparation of novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracers in the primary stages of drug development. Due to the different behaviors of tracer enantiomers (e.g. toxicity, metabolism and side effects) in administrated subjects, their separation and purification is a challenging endeavor. Over the last three decades, different commercial chiral columns have been applied for the enantioseparation of PET-radioligand (PET-RL) or radiotracers (PET-RT), using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The categorization and reviewing of them is a vital topic. This review presents a brief overview of advances, applications, and future prospectives of CCC in radiopharmaceutical approaches. In addition, the effective chromatographic parameters and degravitation trends to enhance enantioseparation resolution are addressed. Moreover, the application and potential of chiral super fluidical chromatography (CSFC) as an alternative for enantioseparation in the field of radiopharmaceutical is discussed. Finally, the crucial application challenges of CCC are explained and imminent tasks are suggested.

Recent Applications of Molecularly Imprinted Sol-Gel Methodology in Sample Preparation

Due to their selectivity and chemical stability, molecularly imprinted polymers have attracted great interest in sample preparation. Imprinted polymers have been applied for the extraction and the enrichment of different sorts of trace analytes in biological and environmental samples before their analysis. Additionally, MIPs are utilized in various sample preparation techniques such as SPE, SPME, SBSE and MEPS. Nevertheless, molecularly imprinted polymers suffer from thermal (stable only up to 150 °C) and mechanical stability issues, improper porosity and poor capacity. The sol-gel methodology as a promising alternative to address these limitations allowing the production of sorbents with controlled porosity and higher surface area. Thus the combination of molecularly imprinted technology and sol-gel technology can create influential materials with high selectivity, high capacity and high thermal stability. This work aims to present an overview of molecularly imprinted sol-gel polymerization methods and their applications in analytical and bioanalytical fields.

A Gold Nanoclusters Film Supported on Polydopamine for Fluorescent Sensing of Free Bilirubin

Serum bilirubin is an important biomarker for the diagnosis of various types of liver diseases and blood disorders. A polydopamine/gold nanoclusters composite film was fabricated for the fluorescent sensing of free bilirubin. Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-stabilized gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) were used as probes for biorecognition. The polydopamine film was utilized as an adhesion layer for immobilization of AuNCs. When the composite film was exposed to free bilirubin, due to the complex that was formed between BSA and free bilirubin, the fluorescence intensity of the composite film was gradually weakened as the bilirubin concentration increased. The fluorescence quenching ratio (F₀/F) was linearly proportional to free bilirubin over the concentration range of 0.8~50 μmol/L with a limit of detection of 0.61 ± 0.12 μmol/L (S/N = 3). The response was quick, the film was recyclable, and common ingredients in human serum did not interfere with the detection of free bilirubin.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-sol-gel tablet toward micro-solid phase extraction: II. Determination of amphetamine in human urine samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Amphetamine selective molecularly imprinted sol-gel polymer tablets, MIP-tablets, for solid-phase microextraction of biofluid samples were prepared. An acetonitrile solution of deuterated amphetamine template and silane precursor, 3-(propylmethacrylate) trimethoxysilane, was soaked into the pores of polyethylene tablet substrates and polymerized by an acid-catalysed sol-gel process. Application of the resultant MIP-tablets to extract amphetamine from human urine samples followed by LC-MS/MS analysis was investigated. The extraction protocol was optimised with respect to pH of sample, addition of sodium chloride, extraction time, desorption solvent and desorption time. The final analysis method determined amphetamine in human urine with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.0ng/mL and a lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 5ng/mL. Validation demonstrated accuracy of the method was 91.0-104.0% and inter-assay precision was 4.8-8.5% (RSD). Extraction recovery was 80%. The MIP-tablets could be re-used and the same tablet could be employed for more than twenty extractions.

MIP-Based Sensors: Promising New Tools for Cancer Biomarker Determination

Detecting cancer disease at an early stage is one of the most important issues for increasing the survival rate of patients. Cancer biomarker detection helps to provide a diagnosis before the disease becomes incurable in later stages. Biomarkers can also be used to evaluate the progression of therapies and surgery treatments. In recent years, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based sensors have been intensely investigated as promising analytical devices in several fields, including clinical analysis, offering desired portability, fast response, specificity, and low cost. The aim of this review is to provide readers with an overview on recent important achievements in MIP-based sensors coupled to various transducers (e.g., electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric) for the determination of cancer biomarkers by selected publications from 2012 to 2016.

Preparation of a novel molecularly imprinted polymer by the sol–gel process for solid phase extraction of vitamin D3

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as an artificial receptor for vitamin D3 is prepared and used.

Molecularly imprinted polymers for on-line extraction techniques

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in the use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as a sorbent for different extraction methods and this is due to its high selectivity. The MIP is designed to show specificity for the analyte of interest. Moreover, MIPs show physical robustness, resistance to high temperatures and pressures, and stability in the presence of acids, bases and a wide range of organic solvents. In the present article, various novel sample preparation techniques which MIPs applied as sorbent and on-line connected with analytical instruments were highlighted and discussed. The future aspects of MIPs as well were described.

Microextraction by packed sorbent

Microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) is a miniaturized form of SPE. MEPS can handle small sample volumes and be connected on-line with LC or GC without any modifications. In addition, the MEPS sorbent bed is integrated into an injection syringe and can be used for more than 100 extractions. The key aspect of MEPS is that the solvent volume used for the elution of the analytes is of a suitable order of magnitude to be injected directly into GC or LC systems. MEPS has been used in many research fields such as environmental, biological and food analysis. This article gives an overview of the MEPS technique, including fields of application and common formats.

Preparation of temperature sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer coatings on nickel foam for determination of ofloxacin in Yellow River water by solid-phase microextraction

A new ofloxacin-templated MIP on nickel foam was investigated for the determination of antibiotics in river water.

Preparation of metallic pivot-based imprinted monoliths with a hydrophilic macromonomer

The hydrophilic macromonomer oligo(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEG) was introduced into a metal ion-mediated MIP matrix to achieve good selectivity and less hydrophobic character.