Preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes for selective dispersive micro-solid phase extraction of fenitrothion followed by ion mobility spectrometry analysis

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer based on magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes was fabricated and applied for selective dispersive micro-solid phase extraction of fenitrothion prior its determination by ion mobility spectrometry. The composite was synthesized using magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes as the support. Methacrylic acid was used as the functional monomer, fenitrothion as the template, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker, and 2,2-azoisobutyronitrile as the initiator. The resultant polymer was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques. Experimental factors affecting the extraction efficiency such as pH and amount of sorbent were evaluated. Under optimum experimental conditions, the developed method displayed the linear range of 5–220 μg/L with a detection limit of 1.3 μg/L. The intra- and interday relative standard deviations for determination of fenitrothion were 3.6 and 4.7% (n = 6), respectively. Ultimately, the proposed method was used to monitor trace amounts of fenitrothion in fruits, vegetables, and water samples.