Selective Extraction of Diazepam and Its Metabolites from Urine Samples by a Molecularly Imprinted Solid-Phase Extraction (MISPE) Method

In this research, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized by precipitation polymerization using oxazepam (OZ) as a template molecule and was subsequently applied as a selective sorbent for the extraction of diazepam (DZP) and its metabolites in urine samples using an SPE cartridge. OZ, temazepam (TZ), nordiazepam (NZ) and DZP were analyzed in the final extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The SPE extraction steps were optimized, and the evaluation of an imprinting factor was carried out. The selectivity of the method for OZ versus structurally related benzodiazepines (BZDs), such as bromazepam (BRZ), tetrazepam (TTZ) and halazepam (HZ), was investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed methodology provided good linearity in the range of 10-1500 ng/mL, with limit of detection values between 13.5 and 21.1 ng/mL and recovery levels for DZP and its metabolites from 89.0 to 93.9% (RSD <= 8%) at a concentration level of 1000 ng/mL. The proposed method exhibited good selectivity, precision and accuracy and was applied to the analysis of urine samples from a real case of DZP intake.