Molecularly Imprinted Polymers and Infrared Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy. A Chemical Sensors Approach

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003

Over 1450 references to original papers, reviews and monographs have herein been collected to document the development of molecular imprinting science and technology from the serendipitous discovery of Polyakov in 1931 to recent attempts to implement and understand the principles underlying the technique and its use in a range of application areas. In the presentation of the assembled references, a section presenting reviews and monographs covering the area is followed by papers dealing with fundamental aspects of molecular imprinting and the development of novel polymer formats. Thereafter, literature describing attempts to apply these polymeric materials to a range of application areas is presented.

Analyzing the Mechanisms of Selectivity in Biomimetic Self-Assemblies via IR and NMR Spectroscopy of Prepolymerization Solutions and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid were synthesized via a noncovalent approach with 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker in a methanol/water mixture. Templated polymers synthesized in this self-assembly approach rely on complex formation between the target analyte and functional monomers in porogenic solution prior to radical polymerization. Consequently, the achievable selectivity is governed by the nature and stability of these complexes. The nature of noncovalent interactions responsible for complex formation during imprinting of the template 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with the functional monomer 4-vinylpyridine has been investigated. Fourier transform infrared and 1H NMR spectroscopies provide the fundamental analytical basis for rationalizing the mechanisms of recognition during the imprinting process probing the governing interactions for selective binding site formation at a molecular level. Molecular modeling studies in explicit solvent (chloroform and water) corroborate the importance of hydrogen bonding in aprotic solvents and of hydrophobic interactions in protic media in agreement with the experimental spectroscopic investigations of prepolymerization solutions. Furthermore, chromatographic studies of the synthesized MIPs provided insight on the importance of size, shape, and functionality during selective 2,4-D rebinding processes confirming the results obtained during the prepolymerization studies.

Towards the rational development of molecularly imprinted polymers: 1H NMR studies on hydrophobicity and ion-pair interactions as driving forces for selectivity

The preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) based on non-covalent interactions has become a widely used technique for creating highly specific sorbent materials predominantly used in separation chemistry. A crucial factor in a successful imprinting protocol is the optimisation of the template/functional monomer interaction in the pre-polymerisation mixture, eventually leading to a maximum of high-affinity binding sites in the resulting polymer matrix. In order to develop more efficient preparation technologies for imprinted polymers, two separate pre-polymerisation complexes were investigated by NMR spectroscopic techniques in order to identify the types of interactions occurring in the pre-polymerisation mixture, and their implications for the subsequently formed imprinted polymer. In particular, hydrophobic effects have been followed by NMR spectroscopy and their contribution to the selectivity of the resulting MIP has been investigated. The 2,4-D imprint system is used as an example to fundamentally study whether observations at the pre-polymerisation stage correlate with properties of the finally prepared MIP, and which parameters govern success of an imprinting protocol.

Optical interrogation of molecularly imprinted polymers and development of MIP sensors: a review

This article reviews the progress and developments achieved in the past five years (2000-2005) in the application of optical analytical techniques to the evaluation of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) characteristics. The MIP binding efficiency, recognition processes and selectivity have been intensively studied by optical means due to the general high sensitivity and simplicity of the utilisation of optical techniques. In addition, recent progress in the covalent linkage of MIPs to optical transducers has allowed for the realisation of highly efficient and robust optical MIP-based molecular recognition sensors. The review provides insight into the various approaches to the optical interrogation of MIPs, and is organised according to the type of optical technique employed (fluorescence, UV/Vis and infrared spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance, chemiluminescence, refractive interference spectroscopy and Raman scattering) and the detailed strategies applied. The review also covers the recent progress achieved in the area of optical sensors based on MIPs.

An insight into molecularly imprinted polymers for capillary electrochromatography

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are actively being developed as a practical tool for affinity chromatographic supports. From the viewpoint of separation science, capillary electrochromatography (CEC) might be one of the more promising chromatographic techniques to be used in combination with the MIPs. However, up to the present, very little MIP work has involved CEC. This review gives a full overview of MIP including current trends in MIP, methods for the characterization of MIP, and methods for the preparation of MIP with particular emphasis on application of the resulting materials in CEC. To prepare MIPs with selectivity predetermined for a particular substance or group of structural analogues is an important factor for the development of a new format of CEC. From the fundamental research with the batch method, a better knowledge of imprint formation and imprint recognition will be helpful for expanding the application area of the combination of MIPs with CEC.

Direct Analysis of Oxidizing Agents in Aqueous Solution with Attenuated Total Reflectance Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy and Diamond-like Carbon Protected Waveguides

A novel approach for the direct detection of oxidizing agents in aqueous solution is presented using diamond-like carbon (DLC) protected waveguides in combination with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mid-infrared spectroscopy. Pulsed laser deposition was applied to produce high-quality DLC thin films on ZnSe ATR crystals with thicknesses of a few 100 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to investigate the surface properties of the DLC films including the sp(3)/sp(2) hybridization ratio of the carbon bonds. Beside excellent adhesion of the DLC coatings to ZnSe crystals, these films show high chemical stability against strongly oxidizing agents. IR microscopy was utilized to compare differences in the chemical surface modification of bare and protected ATR waveguides when exposed to hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and peroxydisulfuric acid. The feasibility of DLC protected waveguides for real-time concentration monitoring of these oxidizing agents was demonstrated by measuring calibration sets in a concentration range of 0.2-10%. Additionally, principal component regression has been applied to analyze multicomponent mixtures of hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and peracetic acid in aqueous solution. Due to high chemical stability and accurate monitoring capabilities, DLC protected waveguides represent a novel approach for directly detecting oxidizing agents in aqueous solution with promising potential for industrial process analysis.

Sol-gel-coated mid-infrared fiber-optic sensors

Application of organically modified sol-gels as novel recognition membranes for mid-infrared fiber-optic sensors is demonstrated for the first time by in situ detection of nitro-based aromatic compounds in aqueous media. Sol-gels were prepared by acid- and base-catalyzed copolymerization of alkyltrimethoxysiloxanes and applied onto the surface of silver halide (AgCl(0.3)Br(0.7)) fibers by drip coating. The coating process was monitored in situ using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Homogeneity of the layers was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Sol-gel-coated evanescent held sensors were investigated with respect to their capacity to suppress interfering water background absorptions, repeatability of dissolved analyte enrichment, and sensor response time. Nitrobenzene and parathion are the investigated analytes; figures of merit are derived from calibration curves determined to assess sensitivity and reproducibility of the developed sensor system. It can be concluded that sol-gel-coated infrared fiber-optic sensors enable reproducible detection of nitro-based aromatic compounds in the low ppm concentration range. Due to wide flexibility in tuning chemical properties of sol-gel films along with superior mechanical and chemical stability, organically modified sol-gels represent highly interesting coating materials for mid-infrared sensing applications.

New frontiers for mid-infrared sensors: towards deep sea monitoring with a submarine FT-IR sensor system

A sub-sea deployable fiber-optic sensor system for the continuous determination of a range of environmentally relevant volatile organic compounds in seawater has been developed. The prototype of a robust, miniaturized Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer for in situ underwater pollution monitoring was designed, developed, and built in our research group. The assembled instrument is enclosed in a sealed aluminium pressure vessel and is capable of maintenance-free operation in an oceanic environment down to depths of at least 300 m. The whole system can be incorporated either in a tow frame or a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). A suitable fiber-optic sensor head was developed, optimized in terms of sensitivity and hydrodynamics, and connected to the underwater FT-IR spectrometer. Due to a modular system design, various other sensor head configurations could be realized and tested, ensuring facile adaptation of the instrument to future tasks. The sensor system was characterized in a series of laboratory and simulated field tests. The sensor proved to be capable of quantitatively detecting a range of chlorinated hydrocarbons and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater down to the low ppb (microg/L) concentration range, including mixtures of up to 6 components. It has been demonstrated that varying amounts of salinity, turbidity, or humic acids, as well as interfering seawater pollutants, such as aliphatic hydrocarbons or phenols, do not significantly influence the sensor characteristics. In addition, the sensor exhibits sufficient long-time stability and a low susceptibility to sensor fouling.

Molecularly imprinted materials--receptors more durable than nature can provide

The chapter describes the concept of molecular imprinting. This technology allows the fabrication of artificial polymeric receptors applicable in many areas of biotechnology. Polymers imprinted with selected template molecules can be used as specific recognition elements in sensors or as selective stationary phases in affinity chromatography or in capillary electrochromatography. However, also in solid phase extraction or immunoassays these polymers (MIP) are able to compete with traditional materials such as biological antibodies. Furthermore, polymers molecularly imprinted with so-called transition state analogue templates can be applied as catalysts. In other words, these kind of polymers may be used as artificial antibodies (plastibodies) or biomimicking enzymes (plastizymes). Compared to their biological counterparts, MIP offer different advantages such as simplicity in manufacturing and durability. Thus, the author expects MIP to have a major impact on the whole area of biotechnology.

Development of a solid-phase microextraction/reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopic method for the detection of chlorinated aromatic amines in aqueous solutions

In this paper, the reflection-absorption infrared (IR) spectroscopic method combined with the principle of solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) is proposed to detect chlorinated aromatic amines in aqueous solutions. This proposed method provides simplicity in both the optical system and equipment setup. Compared to the SPME/attenuated total reflection-IR method, this method reduces the cost for internal-reflection elements and optical systems. Meanwhile, it has no SPME/transmission IR method problems, which require high polymer film preparation techniques to obtain a standing film that has no physical/chemical property changes when immersed in an aqueous solution. The typical linear coefficients obtained using this method for chloroanilines in aqueous solutions are around 0.995 and the detection can be lower than 100 ppb. The thickness of the hydrophobic film is relatively important in the SPME/ATR-IR method, but the uncertainty caused by the film thickness can be partially eliminated in the proposed method. This is because the IR signals are proportional to the film thickness and can be corrected using hydrophobic film signals. The low detection limits have also indicated that this proposed method can compete with the currently existing IR methods, but allowing much simpler detection.

New synthetic ways for the preparation of high-performance liquid chromatography supports

The latest developments and in particular important synthetic aspects for the preparation of modern HPLC supports are reviewed. In this context, the chemistry of inorganic supports based on silica, zirconia, titania or aluminum oxide as well as of organic supports based on poly(styrene-divinylbenzene), acrylates, methacrylates and other, more specialized polymers is covered. Special consideration is given to modern approaches such as sol-gel technology, molecular imprinting, perfusion chromatography, the preparation of monolithic separation media as well as to organic HPLC supports prepared by new polymer technologies such as ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Synthetic particularities relevant for the corresponding applications are outlined.

Chromatographic characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers binding the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid

Two polymers binding the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) were prepared by utilising the technique of the non-covalent molecular imprinting polymerisation in an aqueous medium. The polymers obtained were packed in HPLC columns and the effects of the mobile phase composition on the retention of the imprinting molecule and the selectivity of the stationary phases towards several analogous structures were studied by liquid chromatography. The columns showed a good level of selectivity towards the template and strictly related molecules. It was found that the molecular recognition mechanism acting on the columns was dependent on a combination of ion pair and hydrophobic interactions.