Molecularly imprinted polymer embedded-cryogels as selective genotoxic impurity scavengers

This research aims to design, preparation, and characterization of molecularly imprinted polymeric particles embedded-cryogels for the selective removal of potentially genotoxic impurities 2-aminopyridine and 5-amino-2-chloropyridine in model active pharmaceutical ingredients piroxicam and tenoxicam. For this purpose, aminopyridines imprinted poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methacryloylamido benzotriazole-Cu(II)) particles were prepared and embedded into the cryogel structure. The characterization of the prepared composite cryogels was carried out by FT-IR, swelling tests, and SEM analyses. The results confirmed that the target aminopyridines binding increased with increasing initial concentration up to 1.5 mg mL(-1) which is a saturation point. The highest binding of potentially genotoxic impurities was obtained at pH 7.0 and the maximum binding capacity values of the prepared cryogels for 2-aminopyridine and 5-amino-2-chloropyridine were achieved as 93.2 mg g(-1) and 81.1 mg g(-1), respectively. The imprinted particles embedded-cryogels displayed great affinity toward the target aminopyridines in model active pharmaceutical ingredients piroxicam and tenoxicam. The reusability studies confirmed that the prepared molecularly imprinted particles embedded-cryogels can be successfully reused without a considerable reduce in the binding of target potentially genotoxic impurities to the cryogels after 10 binding-desorption cycles.