Analytical Performance of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Potentiometric Sensor for the Antibiotic Meropenem

Herlina Herlina; Ahmad Hafizullah Ritonga; Andy Febriady; Asvia Rahayu; Barita Aritonang; Muhammad Razali; Reynaldo Sinaga; Amelia Sundari

doi:10.22146/ijc.115916

Analytical Performance of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Potentiometric Sensor for the Antibiotic Meropenem

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.115916

Herlina Herlina^(1*), Ahmad Hafizullah Ritonga⁽²⁾, Andy Febriady⁽³⁾, Asvia Rahayu⁽⁴⁾, Barita Aritonang⁽⁵⁾, Muhammad Razali⁽⁶⁾, Reynaldo Sinaga⁽⁷⁾, Amelia Sundari⁽⁸⁾

(1) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(2) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(3) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(4) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(5) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(6) Universitas Pembinaan Masyarakat Indonesia, Jl. Balai Desa, Pasar 12, Marindal Dua, Patumbak, Deli Serdang 20149, Indonesia
(7) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(8) Institut Kesehatan Medistra Lubuk Pakam, Jl. Sudirman No. 38, Petapahan, Lubuk Pakam, Deli Serdang 20512, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

Accurate determination of meropenem is essential for therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmaceutical quality control. In this study, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based potentiometric ion-selective electrode was developed for selective detection of meropenem. The MIP was synthesized via bulk free-radical polymerization and characterized using FTIR, SEM, and TGA, confirming the formation of a stable polymer matrix. The polymer was incorporated into a PVC membrane to fabricate the sensor, and its analytical performance was evaluated. The sensor exhibited a near-Nernstian slope of 54.87 mV per decade and good linearity over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵–1.0 × 10⁻³ M with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.995. The calculated LOD and LOQ values were 1.12 × 10⁻⁵ and 1.43 × 10⁻⁵ M, respectively. The sensor showed a fast response time (~45 s) and optimal performance at pH 5.0–6.0. Selectivity evaluation using the matched potential method indicated moderate selectivity, with observable interference from structurally similar compounds. The sensor maintained stable performance for up to 50 days. These results demonstrate that the developed MIP-based potentiometric sensor provides a simple, cost-effective platform for meropenem detection and has potential for future applications following validation in real samples.

Keywords

molecularly imprinted polymer; potentiometric sensor; meropenem; ion-selective electrode; Nernstian

Full Text:

Full Text PDF

References

[1] Barathe, P., Kaur, K., Reddy, S., Shriram, V., and Kumar, V., 2024, Antibiotic pollution and associated antimicrobial resistance in the environment, J. Hazard. Mater. Lett., 5, 100105.

[2] Sirumapea, L., Zulfikar, M.A., Amran, M.B., and Alni, A., 2021, Selective solid-phase extraction of meropenem from human blood plasma using a molecularly imprinted polymer, Indones. J. Chem., 21 (5), 1167–1179.

[3] Steffens, N.A., Zimmermann, E.S., Nichelle, S.M., and Brucker, N., 2021, Meropenem use and therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical practice: A literature review, J. Clin. Pharm. Ther., 46 (3), 610–621.

[4] Ren, X., Ye, J., Chen, X., Wang, F., Liu, G., and Wang, J., 2021, Development of a novel HPLC method for the analysis of impurities in meropenem and identification of unknown impurities by 2D LC-IT-TOF MS, Chromatographia, 84 (10), 937–947.

[5] Bashimam, M., and El-Zein, H., 2024, Development and validation of a green RP-HPLC method for detection and quantitation of meropenem trihydrate in the bulk: A comparison with HPTLC method, Curr. Chem. Lett., 13 (2), 351–358.

[6] Jin, Y., Ma, H., Fu, L., Qi, X., Zhang, M., Di, X., Zheng, L., He, C., and Wang, Z., 2024, Quantification of meropenem in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in children with bacterial meningitis with augmented renal clearance by UPLC–MS/MS, Heliyon, 10 (4), e26132.

[7] Wilk, J., Sowik, P., Felis, E., Harnisz, M., Korzeniewska, E., and Bajkacz, S., 2025, Development SPE-LC-MS/MS method for determination of WHO AWaRe Reserve antibiotics in hospital wastewater, Sci. Rep., 15 (1), 22163.

[8] Narala, S.R., and Saraswathi, K., 2023, Extractive spectrophotometric determination of meropenem in pharmaceutical formulations, Res. J. Pharm. Technol., 16 (9), 4148–4150.

[9] Shuker Mahmood, H., and Mahmood, A.H., 2023, A new spectrophotometric approach for determination of meropenem in pharmaceutical formulation, Rafidain J. Sci., 32 (3), 9–20.

[10] Harsini, M., Farida, A.N., Fitriany, E., Paramita, D.R.A., Baktir, A., Kurniawan, F., Sakti, S.C.W., Kurniawan, Y.D., Widyaningrum, B.A., 2024, Simultaneous analysis of dopamine and ascorbic acid using polymelamine/gold nanoparticle-modified carbon paste electrode, Indones. J. Chem., 24 (1), 38–53.

[11] Atta, N.F., Galal, A., and El-Gohary, A.R.M., 2021, Novel designed electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of linezolid and meropenem pneumonia drugs, J. Electroanal. Chem., 902, 115814.

[12] Atta, M.Y., Hegazy, M.A., Mahmoud, A.M., and Ghoniem, N.S., 2022, Electrochemical sensor for meropenem therapeutic monitoring in human plasma based on carbon nanotubes modified basal pyrolytic graphite electrode, J. Electrochem. Soc., 169 (9), 097504.

[13] Ali, S.N., Mahmoud, A.M., Saad, S.S., Fayed, A.S., and Marzouk, H.M., 2025, A novel bimetallic metal–organic framework-based electrochemical nanosensor for therapeutic monitoring of meropenem in human plasma, Microchem. J., 215, 114184.

[14] Khasanah, M., Widati, A.A., Handajani, U.S., Harsini, M., Ilmiah, B., and Oktavia, I.D., 2020, Imprinted zeolite modified carbon paste electrode as a selective sensor for blood glucose analysis by potentiometry, Indones. J. Chem., 20 (6), 1301–1310.

[15] Djunaidi, M.C., Afriani, M.D.R., Gunawan, G., and Khasanah, M., 2021, Synthesis of graphite paste/molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrodes based on polyeugenol as a glucose sensor with potentiometric method, Indones. J. Chem., 21 (4), 816–824.

[16] Wang, J., Liang, R., and Qin, W., 2024, Improvement of the selectivity of a molecularly imprinted polymer-based potentiometric sensor by using a specific functional monomer, Anal. Chim. Acta, 1298, 342412.

[17] Ammen, E.W., and Al-Bayati, Y.K., 2024, Determination of chlorpromazine using molecular imprinting polymers in different sample matrices, Indones. J. Chem., 24 (6), 1870–1882.

[18] Ma, X., Wang, Y., Wang, W., Heinlein, J., Pfefferle, L.D., and Tian, X., 2023, Strategic preparation of porous magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers via a simple and green method for high-performance adsorption and removal of meropenem, Talanta, 258, 124419.

[19] Özbek, O., Berkel, C., and Isildak, Ö., 2022, Applications of potentiometric sensors for the determination of drug molecules in biological samples, Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem., 52 (4), 768–779.

[20] Majdi, M., Mizani, F., and Mohammad-Khah, A., 2022, Quantitative monitoring of cefotaxim ions by a new potentiometric sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer, Anal. Bioanal. Electrochem., 14 (1), 100–115.

[21] Bow, Y., Syakdani, A., Purnamasari, I., and Rusdianasari, R., 2023, Electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for simazine pesticide detection, Int. J. Adv. Sci., Eng. Inf. Technol., 13 (1), 110–116.

[22] Mahmoud, A.M., Saleh, H., Fawzy, M.G., Reda, A., and Bahgat, E.A., 2024, Design of potentiometric sensor based on molecularly-imprinted polymer for direct detection of levofloxacin in plasma for point-of-care applications, Zagazig J. Pharm. Sci., 33 (1), 38–48.

[23] Amlashi, H.S., Daryasari, A.P., and Soleimani, M., 2019, Molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography as an efficient and sensitive technique for determination of meropenem in human plasma and urine, S. Afr. J. Chem., 72, 32–39.

[24] Serag, A., Abdelazim, A.H., Ramzy, S., Alnemari, R.M., Alzhrani, R.M., Abduljabbar, M.H., Althobaiti, Y.S., Alosaimi, M.E., Alaqel, S.I., and Almalki, A.H., 2026, A fluorescent sensor based on nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots and molecularly imprinted polymers for selective and sensitive detection of meropenem in environmental and clinical matrices, Talanta, 296, 128442.

[25] Yence, M., Cetinkaya, A., Çorman, M.E., Uzun, L., Caglayan, M.G., and Ozkan, S.A., 2023, Fabrication of molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors for sensitive codeine detection, Microchem. J., 193, 109060.

[26] Wang, L., and Zhang, W., 2023, Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based electrochemical sensors and their recent advances in health applications, Sens. Actuators Rep., 5, 100153.

[27] Ahmed, E.R., Abou-Elella, F.M., Abdelmonem, A.M., and Ali, M.A., 2025, Resveratrol-loaded magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers: A green dual-functional platform for synergistic antibacterial and targeted anticancer therapy, Chem. Biol. Technol. Agric., 12 (1), 171.

[28] Banerjee, R., and Bhattacharya, T., 2022, Degradation of synthetic polymers: Microbial approach, Indian J. Microbiol. Res., 9 (1), 9–13.

[29] Khudhair, M.B., and Al-Phalahy, B.A., 2020, New potentiometric sensor for levofloxacin determination in pharmaceutical preparations, urine and blood serum, Biochem. Cell. Arch., 20, 6101–6107.

[30] Parshina, A., Yelnikova, A., Safronova, E., Kolganova, T., Bobreshova, O., and Yaroslavtsev, A., 2023, Potentiometric sensor arrays based on hybrid PFSA/CNTs membranes for the analysis of UV-degraded drugs, Polymers, 15 (12), 2682.

[31] Moaaz, E.M., Fayed, A.S., Abdel-Moety, E.M., and Rezk, M.R., 2025, Innovative sensors with selectivity enhancement by molecularly imprinted polymers for the concurrent quantification of donepezil and memantine, RSC Adv., 15 (23), 18475–18489.

[32] Ibrahim, E.A., Saad, S.S., Hegazy, M.A., Abdel Fattah, L.E., and Marzouk, H.M., 2025, A novel molecular imprinted polymer-based potentiometric sensor for determination of the neuromodulating drug safinamide in dosage form and biological fluids, Microchem. J., 214, 114059.

[33] Wang, C., Qi, L., and Liang, R., 2021, A molecularly imprinted polymer-based potentiometric sensor based on covalent recognition for the determination of dopamine, Anal. Methods, 13 (5), 620–625.

[34] Djunaidi, M.C., Gunawan, G., Cahyaningrum, L., Lusiana, R.A., and Khasanah, M., 2022, Selective identification for glucose in the presence of fructose using imprinted polyeugenol modified graphite paste electrode, Indones. J. Chem., 22 (4), 913–921.

[35] Sirumapea, L., Ali Zulfikar, M., Bachri Amran, M., and Alni, A., 2019, Synthesis and characterization of meropenem imprinted polymer, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser., 1282 (1), 012063.

[36] Sivaprasad, M., Swarupa, C., Dhananjayulu, M., Jayapal, M.R., and Sreedhar, N.Y., 2014, Graphene and polyaniline composite modified glassy carbon electrode for electrochemical determination of doripenem and meropenem metabolites, J. Anal. Bioanal. Tech., 5 (3), 1000192.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.115916