Selective sample pretreatment by molecularly imprinted polymer monolith for the analysis of fluoroquinolones from milk samples

Abstract Water-compatible pefloxacin-imprinted monoliths synthesized in a water-containing system were used for the selective extraction of fluoroquinolones (FQs). The MIP monolith was synthesized by using methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, di(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and methanol–water (10:3, v/v) as the porogenic solvent. The ability of the derivated MIP for selective recognition of FQs (ciprofloxacin, difloxacin, danofloxacin and enrofloxacin) and quinolones (flumequine, and oxolinic acid) was evaluated. The derivated monolith showed high selectivity and was able to distinguish between FQs and quinolones. A simple rapid and sensitive method using polymer monolith microextraction (PMME) based on the MIP monolith combined with HPLC with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of four FQs from milk samples. Owing to the unique porous structure and flow-through channels in the network skeleton of the MIP monolith, phosphate buffer diluted milk samples were directly supplied to PMME; allowing non-specific bound proteins and other biological matrix to be washed out, and FQs to be selectively enriched. The limit of detection of the method was 0.4–1.6 ng/mL and recovery was 92.4–98.2% with relative standard deviations less than 5.9%.