Abstract: A simple, sensitive and accessible while reliable method was developed and validated for quantitation of buprenorphine (Bup) as a highly lipophilic drug in human urine samples. The proposed method is based on a rapid and easy dispersive micro solid-phase extraction procedure using magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MMIPNPs), magnetite (Fe3O4) cores surrounded by polyamidoamine and Bup as template, followed by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FL). The prepared MMIPNP adsorbent was characterized by different techniques. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the Fe3O4 core nanoparticles are well enwrapped by MIP layers. In determination process, Bup could be quantitatively extracted using MMIPNPs and then can be easily desorbed by mixture of sodium hydroxide (0.1 mol/L) and methanol (1:9, v/v) solution before injection to HPLC. The relative recoveries of Bup were found to be 97.4-100.3%, and the linear dynamic range was within the ranges of 1-1000 ng/mL with R2 of 0.9998. Remarkably high quality of 0.21 and 0.71 ng/mL was obtained as the limit of detection and limit of quantification, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied for determination of Bup in infected human urine samples
Author keywords: buprenorphine, Molecularly imprinted polymer, Magnetic nanoparticle, Dispersive micro solid-phase extraction, HPLC, fluorescence, urine sample