Synthesis and characterization of core–shell magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for selective extraction of tizanidine in human plasma

In this study, simple, effective and general processes were used for the synthesis of a new nano-molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) layer on magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) with uniform core–shell structure by combining surface imprinting and nanotechniques. The first step for the synthesis of magnetic NPs was co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in an ammonia solution. Then, an SiO2 shell was coated on the magnetic core with the Stober method. Subsequently, the C=C groups were grafted onto the silica-modified Fe3O4 surface by 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate. Finally, MIPs films were formed on the surface of Fe3O4@SiO2 by the copolymerization of C=C end groups with methacrylic acid (functional monomer), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linker), 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (initiator) and tizanidine (template molecule). The products were characterized using techniques that included Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Measurement of tizanidine through use of the core–shell magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers nanoparticles (MMIPs-NPs) in human plasma samples compared to the paracetamol showed that the synthesized nanosized MMIP for tizanidine has acted selectively.