Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 30 Number 4 (2026): 1839

 

Research Article

 

Synthesis of a cannabidiol-imprinted polymer for selective extraction and HPLC analysis of cannabidiol from Cannabis sativa

 

Wisanu Thongchai1*, Suwanna Thongchai3, Yuttasak Chammui1, Titiporn Chorchong2, Kasama Durongsak2 and Sirirat Phanruang1

 

1Chemistry Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

2Physics Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

3Thathong Phitthayakhom School, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

 

*Corresponding author: wisanuthongchai@psru.ac.th

 

Received: 27 January 2026; Revised: 30 April 2026; Accepted: 24 June 2026; Published: 30 August 2026

 

Abstract

A CBD-imprinted polymer (CBD-MIP) was synthesized using UV-initiated photopolymerization. In this procedure, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate served as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate served as the crosslinker, cannabidiol (CBD) served as the template, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone as the initiator, with a mixture of acetonitrile and 1-dodecanol as the porogenic solvents. The CBD-MIP was prepared from 0.636 mmol of CBD, 1 mL of acetonitrile, 8.5 mL of 1-dodecanol, 0.229 mmol of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 23.84 mmol of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and 8.22 mmol of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The molecular interactions between the template and the functional monomers were investigated by examining the adsorption capacity of the CBD-MIPs and the non-imprinted polymers (NIPs). The results indicated that the CBD-MIPs exhibited a higher adsorption efficiency (65%) than the NIPs. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous structure containing specific binding cavities, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the interactions between CBD and the polymer matrix. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection was developed and validated under various chromatographic conditions to determine CBD in Cannabis sativa samples. The sample solutions were pretreated with the CBD-MIPs by solid-phase extraction and then analyzed on a VertiSep™ Integral C18 column (2.6 µm, 4.6 × 150 mm) maintained at 40 °C. The detection wavelength was set at 220 nm, corresponding to the maximum absorbance of CBD. The mobile phase consisted of (A) 0.1% (v/v) phosphoric acid in deionized water and (B) 0.1% (v/v) phosphoric acid in acetonitrile, delivered under gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min, with an injection volume of 5 µL. The HPLC method showed good sensitivity, with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.253 and 0.768 µg/mL, respectively, and recoveries ranging from 86.00% to 98.95%. Application of the method to Cannabis sativa samples revealed a higher CBD content in the inflorescences than in the leaves. The proposed method offers a selective and reliable approach for the analysis of CBD in medicinal herbal extracts.

 

Keywords: CBD-imprinted polymer, high-performance liquid chromatography, solid-phase extraction, selective adsorption, method validation

 

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