Molecularly imprinted polymers in solid-phase microextraction: Enhancing the analysis of pharmaceutical compounds across diverse sample matrices

Abstract

The biomedicine scientific field has made continuous progress, introducing various pharmaceutical compounds to enhance human life. While these advancements bring benefits, the unregulated use of these compounds raises concerns, particularly regarding their presence in the environment and potential adverse effects on human health. Therefore, the assessment of pharmaceutical compounds by analytical strategies is imperative for comprehending and appraising their potential effects and interactions across diverse matrices. In this sense, solid-based microextraction procedures have shed light on the challenging task of evaluating pharmaceutical compounds in complex and diverse samples. Moreover, miniaturized procedures are firmly rooted in the principles of green analytical chemistry, thereby presenting more environmentally friendly approaches than traditional extraction methods. Consequently, significant endeavors have been undertaken to introduce novel sorbent materials that foster a more selective interaction with target analytes. Having this in mind, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) emerge as a solution, providing selective binding sites capable of interacting with the target analyte within a complex sample. The integration of solid-based microextraction procedures with MIPs as sorbent phases has led to significant strides in advancing the evaluation of pharmaceutical compounds in different samples. Hence, this review endeavors to offer a comprehensive overview of the current applications of solid-based microextraction combined with MIPs in the assessment of pharmaceutical compounds across various samples.