Polypyrrole-modified magnetic nanoparticles for preconcentration of atorvastatin in human serum prior to its determination using high-performance liquid chromatography

In the current study, the successful application of polypyrrole-Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated as a suitable sorbent in the magnetic-dispersive solid phase extraction mode to the preconcentration and determination of atorvastatin (AT) in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. Iron oxide NPs were prepared by co-precipitation method and the polypyrrole compound was used to modify their surface. The structure and NP size of Fe3O4@PPy NPs were characterised by Fourier-transform infrared technique and scanning electron microscopy. Some factors affecting the extraction efficiency, including the pH value, amount of sorbent, extraction time, elution type and its volume and desorption time were optimised. Under the optimum conditions, magnetic NPs extraction of standard solution of AT showed a linear calibration curve in the range of 0.1-1000 g l(-1) with R-2 = 0.9962. The method was sensitive, with a low limit of detection (0.10 g l(-1)) and quantification (0.38 g l(-1)). The relative standard deviation of five extractions at the concentration level of 0.1 g l(-1) was 4.2. Good recoveries (92.00-98.10%) with low relative standard deviations (6.0-2.4%) indicated that the matrices do not significantly affect the extraction process. Finally, the proposed method was successfully used to measure AT in human serum samples.