Molecularly imprinted polymers for simultaneous determination of antiepileptics in river water samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A restricted access media-molecularly imprinted polymer (RAM-MIP) for cyclobarbital has been developed for selective extraction of antiepileptics in river water samples. The RAM-MIP was prepared using 4-vinylpyridine and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively, by a multi-step swelling and polymerization method followed by a surface modification technique. The RAM-MIP for cyclobarbital showed molecular recognition abilities for phenobarbital, amobarbital and phenytoin as well as cyclobarbital. Thus, selective analysis of antiepileptics in river water samples was attained with RAM-MIP extraction followed by column-switching liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The concentrations of phenobarbital and phenytoin in river water samples were about 15 and 4 ng/L, respectively, while that of amobarbital was below the limit of quantitation.