Molecular imprinting technology (MIT), often described as a method of making a molecular lock to match a molecular key, is a technique for the creation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with tailor-made binding sites complementary to the template molecules in shape, size and functional groups. Owing to their unique features of structure predictability, recognition specificity and application universality, MIPs have found a wide range of applications in various fields. Herein, we propose to comprehensively review the recent advances in molecular imprinting including versatile perspectives and applications, concerning novel preparation technologies and strategies of MIT, and highlight the applications of MIPs. The fundamentals of MIPs involving essential elements, preparation procedures and characterization methods are briefly outlined. Smart MIT for MIPs is especially highlighted including ingenious MIT (surface imprinting, nanoimprinting, etc.), special strategies of MIT (dummy imprinting, segment imprinting, etc.) and stimuli-responsive MIT (single/dual/multi-responsive technology). By virtue of smart MIT, new formatted MIPs gain popularity for versatile applications, including sample pretreatment/chromatographic separation (solid phase extraction, monolithic column chromatography, etc.) and chemical/biological sensing (electrochemical sensing, fluorescence sensing, etc.). Finally, we propose the remaining challenges and future perspectives to accelerate the development of MIT, and to utilize it for further developing versatile MIPs with a wide range of applications (650 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/17045/1/Molecular%20imprinting%20perspectives%20and%20applications.pdf

Molecular imprinting: perspectives and applications

Molecularly imprinted polymers are synthetic receptors for a targeted molecule. As such, they are analogues of the natural antibody–antigen systems. In this review, after a recounting of the early history of the general field, we specifically focus on the application of these polymers as sensors. In these applications, the polymers are paired with a reporting system, which may be electrical, electrochemical, optical, or gravimetric. The presence of the targeted molecule effects a change in the reporting agent, and a calibrated quantity of the target is recorded. In this review, we describe the imprinted polymer production processes, the techniques used for reporting, and the applications of the reported sensors. A brief survey of recent applications to gas-phase sensing is included, but the focus is primarily on the development of sensors for targets in solution. Included among the applications are those designed to detect toxic chemicals, toxins in foods, drugs, explosives, and pathogens. The application...

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

Herein, we present a survey of the literature covering the development of molecular imprinting science and technology over the years 2004-2011. In total, 3779 references to the original papers, rev ...

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years 2004-2011.

More than 80% of analysis time is spent on sample collection and sample preparation, so sample preparation is a critical part of the analytical process. Traditionally, liquid-liquid extraction was developed and employed to screen for general unknowns. However, solid-phase extraction (SPE) is becoming highly popular as an alternative, due to its simplicity and economy in terms of time and solvent. This review summarizes the current state of the art and the future prospects for green analytical chemistry with special emphasis on environment-friendly sample-preparation techniques based on the solid phase. We discuss in detail miniaturized SPE techniques, based on the most relevant, most representative and most recent scientific references.

Miniaturized solid-phase extraction techniques

Sample preparation is a crucial bottleneck in the whole analytical process. Solid-phase sorbents (SPSs) have aroused increasing interest in research on sample preparation, as they have key roles in obtaining high clean-up and enrichment efficiency in the analysis of trace targets present in complex matrices. The objective of this review is to provide a broad overview of the recent advances and applications of SPSs in sample preparation prior to chromatographic analysis, during the period 2008-13. We include SPSs, such as molecularly-imprinted polymers, carbon nanomaterials, metallic nanoparticles and metal organic frameworks, focusing on solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, matrix solid-phase dispersion and stir-bar sorptive extraction of typical pollutants in environmental, biological, food and pharmaceutical samples. We propose remaining challenges and future perspectives to improve development of new SPSs and to apply them further. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in solid-phase sorbents for sample preparation prior to chromatographic analysis

Novel magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes@Fe3O4 molecularly imprinted polymers (MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs) intended for bovine serum albumin (BSA) recognition were successfully developed. The MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles (diameter: 50–60 nm) were coated with a layer of MIPs with an average thickness of 25–30 nm. The magnetic material was easily dispersed and retrieved through the application of an external magnetic field. Adsorption experiments showed that the estimated maximum amount of BSA that could be adsorbed onto the MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs was 52.8 mg/g, and the time taken to reach equilibrium was about 40 min. Meanwhile, the MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs exhibited excellent selectivity towards (i.e., recognition of) BSA. The feasibility of the use of the MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs as a solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbent was evaluated, and the results showed that the MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs were able to separate the template protein BSA from a binary protein solution. The proposed sorbent based on MWNTs@Fe3O4-MIPs for BSA separation exhibited satisfactory recoveries ranging from 92.0% to 97.3% in real samples. It was also successfully used for the purification of BSA from bovine calf serum.

Novel magnetic bovine serum albumin imprinted polymers with a matrix of carbon nanotubes, and their application to protein separation

Novel molecularly imprinted polymers with carbon nanotube as matrix for selective solid-phase extraction of emodin from kiwi fruit root

Novel molecularly imprinted polymers based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes with binary functional monomer for the solid-phase extraction of erythromycin from chicken muscle.

Minlei Zhang

Papers

Novel magnetic bovine serum albumin imprinted polymers with a matrix of carbon nanotubes, and their application to protein separation

Novel molecularly imprinted polymers with carbon nanotube as matrix for selective solid-phase extraction of emodin from kiwi fruit root

Novel molecularly imprinted polymers based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes with binary functional monomer for the solid-phase extraction of erythromycin from chicken muscle.