Molecularly imprinted polymers as analyte sequesters and selective surfaces for easy ambient sonic-spray ionization

• Published in: Analyst (London) Vol. 135; no. 4; p. 726
• Main Authors: Figueiredo, Eduardo Costa, Sanvido, Gustavo Braga, Arruda, Marco Aurélio Zezzi, Eberlin, Marcos Nogueira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Antipsychotic Agents - urine; Humans; Molecular Imprinting - methods; Phenothiazines - urine; Polymers - chemistry; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - instrumentation; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - methods; Surface Properties
• ISSN: 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/b923289c

The use of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a selective surface for ambient mass spectrometry is demonstrated. The MIP is used to sequester target analytes from urine and easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) is shown to be able to efficiently desorb the analytes from the MIP surface and then transfer them in protonated forms to the gas phase for MS analysis. A set of five phenothiazines (chlorpromazine, perphenazine, triflupromazine, thioridazine and prochlorperazine) were chosen from a proof-of-principle class of drug samples. A chlorpromazine-imprinted methacrylic polymer was synthesized and used to prepare a MIP probe. The MIP-EASI-MS technique using acidified methanol as solvent has been shown to allow quantification of all five drugs in urine with LOQ of ca. 1 micromol L(-1).