Preparation and characterization of vinyl silica‐supported surface molecularly imprinted polymers coupled with liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry for extraction of prostaglandin analogs from cosmetic products

Prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) are commonly used to treat ocular hypertension and glaucoma patients. Nowadays, the use of PGAs enhances eyelashes in cosmetics, particularly in the condition of hypotrichosis. A method was developed in which surface molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized for selective extraction of PGAs (bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost) by using bimatoprost as template molecules which were coupled with liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) system. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy techniques were used to study the morphological and physical characterization. The adsorption selectivity studies showed the high selectivity of PGAs. The adsorption capacities of bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost were 93.8, 92.3, and 91.5 μg/g, respectively. The recoveries and precision of samples at three concentration levels (10–30 ng/mL) of bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost were tested (98.5%–102.5%, 1.2%–4.5%, n = 3). The % relative standard deviation for repeatability of the method for bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost ranged from 1.8 to 5.6, 1.5 to 4.8, and 1.6 to 5.2, respectively. While the limit of detection for bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost was 0.20, 0.25, and 0.45 ng/mL, respectively. The method of surface molecularly imprinted polymer coupled with LC‐MS was successfully applied to cosmetic products for selective extraction of PGAs.