Efficient dispersive micro solid-phase extraction of antidepressant drugs by a robust molybdenum-based coordination polymer

A molybdenum-based coordination polymer {[Mo(PDA)(NO)(μ-O)MoO₃]·1.42H₂O·0.58C₂H₅OH}_n (1) (PDA is 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylate) was synthesized using solvothermal reaction conditions and characterized using a suite of analytical techniques. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal a 1D chain structure, with close contacts expanding the structure into 3D including π-interactions and hydrogen bonding. The utility of 1 as a sorbent for dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (D-μSPE) of basic organic compounds such as antidepressants is supported by the presence of many functional groups on the surface of 1 (such as pendant carboxylates, Mo=O, Mo–NO, and CH groups) as well as extensive electrostatic interactions. Therefore, 1 can be a suitable choice as sorbent in the D-μSPE of antidepressant drugs from human plasma samples via appreciable adsorbate-adsorbent interactions. Determination of the extracted antidepressant drugs was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV), with calibration plots being linear in the concentration range 0.1–500 ng mL⁻¹ for amitriptyline and nortriptyline, 0.2–500 ng mL⁻¹ for imipramine, and 0.5–300 ng mL⁻¹ for sertraline. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values were calculated for both intra-day and inter-day precision, and the RSD% values were in the range 3.9 to 5.2% and 4.6–5.4%, respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) was determined as 0.03–0.2 ng mL⁻¹. Due to the good stability and reusability of the sorbent, the adsorption capacity had no obvious decrease after being used 20 times. Finally, the D-μSPE-HPLC-UV method was applied for the determination of antidepressant drugs in human plasma samples with recoveries of the analytes in the range 94.9 to 102%. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]