Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Extraction of Polymyxins from Environmental Water Samples

The emergence of colistin resistance gen has aroused public concern. It is significant to assess the concentrations of polymyxins residues in aquatic environment since resistant bacteria carrying colistin resistance gen are frequently isolated from wastewater; surface water and ground water. However; no literature on the determination of polymyxins in water is available; probably due to the absence of an efficient extraction method. Accordingly; molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized by precipitation polymerization with colistin as the template. The polymers were successfully used as sorbents for the determination of polymyxins from water based on molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection. The molecularly imprinted cartridge showed excellent affinity and cross-reactivity to analytes in aqueous media. Recoveries obtained from water samples were between 65.9% and 90.1%, with relative standard deviations lower than 10.2%. Limits of detection were between 1.0 and 2.0 μg L(−1) concentration levels. Compared with C(18) cartridge; the molecularly imprinted cartridge could remove more interference from co-extracted matrices. This method is practical for the routine monitoring of polymyxin residues in environmental water; which will benefit studies on drug-resistance and occurrence of polymyxins in the environment.