New Molecularly Imprinted Polyurethane Foam for Selective Extraction of Atrazine with Fluorescence Detection

Abstract

The synthesis of new molecularly imprinted polyurethane foam (MIPUF) using an herbicide of atrazine (Atz) as a template for selective solid-phase extraction for Atz was proposed for the first time. The MIPUF was simply synthesized under mild conditions, without requiring an oxygen-free environment. Some household apparatuses were adapted for the preparation, such as a plastic cup and bamboo chopstick. The ready-to-use MIPUF minicolumns could be obtained within 4 h with more than 10 minicolumns. The proposed material was characterized using FT-IR and SEM. The MIPUF minicolumn was used in a solid-phase extraction. The eluate of free Atz was determined using the fluorescence technique without further derivatization at 343 nm. The MIPUF offered a good sensitivity and selectivity over non-molecularly imprinted polyurethane foam (NIPUF), enhancing fluorescence intensity by 15.6 times. The linear equation and linear range for Atz detection at y = 87.25x + 311.58, R2 = 0.9887 and 0.2–1.0 µM were obtained. The LOD and LOQ were 35 and 110 nM, respectively. The MIPUF revealed a more selective Atz than some potential pesticides. The ready-to-use minicolumn has been used for sample preparation and Atz assays in surface water in orchards and river water samples with recoveries (%) at 90–110%. © 2025 by the authors.