Application potential of dummy molecularly imprinted polymers as solid-phase extraction sorbents for determination of low-mass polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil and sediment samples

Despite the introduction of restrictive regulations in the USA and the European Union, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are still found in various types of environmental and biological samples at significant concentration levels. The presence of these persistent organic pollutants in the environment raises important issues because of their negative impact on immunological and neurological systems, and on the hormonal balances in living organisms. From the analytical point of view, the final determination of PBDEs would entail substantial challenges, because it would necessitate conducting the pre-concentration of analytes, or sample clean up. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the analytical application potential of developed dummy molecularly imprinted polymers as solid-phase extraction sorbents for the selective recognition of low-mass PBDEs. The 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl ether was employed as a dummy template of low-mass PBDEs. The developed types of the sorption materials were used in the sample preparation stage of the analytical procedure to determine the PBDE-47 and PBDE-99 levels in selected representatives of environmental samples reference materials of soil and bottom sediments. The recovery values of PBDE-47 and PBDE-99 from the studied solid samples ranged from 60% to 87%, depending on the applied DMIPs type.