A novel protocol for use of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) in analysis of melamine is presented. Design of polymer for melamine has been achieved using a combination of computational techniques and laboratory trials, the former greatly reducing the duration of the latter. The compatibility and concerted effect of monomers and solvents were also investigated and discussed. Two novel open source tools were presented which are: the online polymer calculator from mipdatabase.com and the application of the Gromacs modelling suite to determine the ideal stoichiometric ratio between template and functional monomer. A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 2
Sensors incorporating molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are feasible in concept though the reproducibility of such devices can be compromised by the large number of interdependent steps. For this reason, many researchers have focused on the synthesis of MIP particles only, not on their immobilization. Herein is presented a sol-gel based method for immobilization of unmodified MIP particles for use in an electrochemical sensor. The macroporous particles were prepared using precipitation-polymerization and imprinted with theophylline. The sol-gel was combined with graphite microparticles (50 μm) and the composite was deposited on the surfaced of an epoxy-graphite electrode. The sensor was then tested for its response to theophylline using differential pulse voltammetry. A limit of detection of 1 μM was observed and a relative standard deviation of 6.85 %. The electrode can be regenerated via a thermal washing process which was accompanied by an initial signal loss of 29.3 %. Any further regeneration caused a signal loss of 2.4 % only.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are highly advantageous in the field of analytical chemistry. However, interference from secondary molecules can also impede capture of a target by a MIP receptor. This greatly complicates the design process and often requires extensive laboratory screening which is time consuming, costly, and creates substantial waste products. Herein, is presented a new technique for screening of "virtually imprinted receptors" for rebinding of the molecular template as well as secondary structures, correlating the virtual predictions with experimentally acquired data in three case studies. This novel technique is particularly applicable to the evaluation and prediction of MIP receptor specificity and efficiency in complex aqueous systems.
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