Application of molecular imprinted polymer nanoparticles as a selective solid phase extraction for preconcentration and trace determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the human urine and different water samples.

Fariborz Omidi,Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri,Mohammad Behbahani,Hamid Sadeghi Abandansari,Alireza Sedighi

doi:10.1186/s40201-014-0137-z

Abstract

A molecular-imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP-NP) for the selective preconcentration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is described. It was obtained by precipitation polymerization from methacrylic acid (the functional monomer), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (the cross-linker), 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (the initiator) and 2,4-D (the template molecule) in acetonitrile solution. The MIP-NPs were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, and by scanning electron microscopy. Imprinted 2,4-D molecules were removed from the polymeric structure using acetic acid in methanol (15:85 v/v %) as the eluting solvent. The sorption and desorption process occur within 10 min and 15 min, respectively. The maximum sorbent capacity of the molecular imprinted polymer is 89.2 mg g−1. The relative standard deviation and limit of detection for water samples by introduced selective solid phase extraction were 4.2% and 1.25 μg L−1, and these data for urine samples were 4.7% and 1.80 μg L−1, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of 2,4-D in the urine and different water samples.

Highlights

In recent years, the hazards of using pesticides have been accentuated by the sharp rise in their use in agriculture and industry
Characterization of the synthesized molecular imprinted polymer nanoparticles The resulting nanosized imprinted polymers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
Thermal stability of the synthesized imprinted polymer nanoparticles was evaluated by TGA

Summary

Introduction

The hazards of using pesticides have been accentuated by the sharp rise in their use in agriculture and industry. Phenoxy herbicides compounds are currently among the most frequently used pesticides worldwide [1]. They have been used on a large scale in agriculture to control the growth of broad-leaved weeds on rice, maize, wheat, and in post-emergence applications in most developing countries [2,3]. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a common important phenoxy herbicide that is selective, systemic auxin-type herbicide extensively used throughout the sparingly soluble in water. The World Health Organization (WHO), U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and national governments such as New Zealand and United State of America (USA) regulation set the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of chlorophenoxy acid herbicides in drinking water in the range of 10-70 ng mL−1 [10,11]. Because of its adverse effect on humans, sensitive determination of 2,4-D in environmental and biological samples is necessary

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