Applications of Chitosan in Molecularly and Ion Imprinted Polymers

Chitosan-graphene quantum dot-based molecular imprinted polymer for oxaliplatin release

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have garnered the interest of researchers in the drug delivery due to their advantages, such as exceptional durability, stability, and selectivity. In this study, a biocompatible MIP drug adsorption and delivery system with high loading capacity and controlled release, was prepared based on chitosan (CS) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as the matrix, and the anticancer drug oxaliplatin (OXAL) as the template. Additionally, samples without the drug (non-imprinted polymers, NIPs) were created for comparison. GQDs were produced using the hydrothermal method, and samples underwent characterization through FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TGA. Various experiments were conducted to determine the optimal pH for drug adsorption, along with kinetic and isotherm studies, selectivity assessments, in vitro drug release and kinetic evaluations. The highest drug binding capacity was observed at pH 6.5. The results indicated the Lagergren-first-order kinetic model (with rate constant of 0.038 min-1) and the Langmuir isotherm (with maximum adsorption capacity of 17.15 mg g-1) exhibited better alignment with the experimental data. The developed MIPs displayed significant selectivity towards OXAL, by an imprinting factor of 2.88, in comparison to two similar drugs (cisplatin and carboplatin). Furthermore, the analysis of the drug release profile showed a burst release for CS-Drug (87% within 3 h) at pH 7.4, where the release from the CS-GQD-Drug did not occur at pH 7.4 and 10; instead, the release was observed at pH 1.2 in a controlled manner (100% within 28 h). Consequently, this specific OXAL adsorption and delivery system holds promise for cancer treatment.

Innovative approaches to suppress non-specific adsorption in molecularly imprinted polymers for sensing applications

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic antibodies developed to bind selectively with specific molecules. They function through a particular recognition process involving their cavities and functional groups. Nevertheless, functional groups located outside these cavities are the main cause of non-specific molecule binding, thus reducing the effectiveness of MIPs in sensing applications. This work focused on enhancing the selectivity and performance of MIPs through electrostatic modification with surfactants. The study investigates the use of two surfactants, namely sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), to eliminate non-specific adsorption in MIPs. The binding isotherms of the target molecule sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on MIPs and non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were analyzed, showing higher adsorption capacity of MIPs due to the specific cavities. The modification with SDS or CTAB effectively eliminated non-specific adsorption in MIPs. The kinetic adsorption behavior further demonstrated the efficacy of MIP+--SDS/CTAB in the selective adsorption of SMX. Calibration curves showcase the methodology's analytical capabilities, achieving low limit of detection for SMX 6 ng mL-1 using MIP +-SDS. The stability study confirmed that the developed MIP +/--SDS/CTAB remains stable even at high temperatures, demonstrating its suitability for on-site applications. The methodology was successfully applied to detect SMX in milk and water samples, achieving promising recoveries. Overall, the electrostatic modification of MIPs with surfactants emerges as a valuable strategy for enhancing selectivity and performance in target molecule recognition and detection.

Application of Chitosan-Based Molecularly Imprinted Polymer in Development of Electrochemical Sensor for p-Aminophenol Determination

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) have specific recognition capabilities and have been widely used for electrochemical sensors with high selectivity. In this study, an electrochemical sensor was developed for the determination of p-aminophenol (p-AP) by modifying the screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with chitosan-based MIP. The MIP was made from p-AP as a template, chitosan (CH) as a base polymer, and glutaraldehyde and sodium tripolyphosphate as the crosslinkers. MIP characterization was conducted based on membrane surface morphology, FT-IR spectrum, and electrochemical properties of the modified SPCE. The results showed that the MIP was able to selectively accumulate analytes on the electrode surface, in which MIP with glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker was able to increase the signal. Under optimum conditions, the anodic peak current from the sensor increased linearly in the range of 0.5-35 µM p-AP concentration, with sensitivity of (3.6 ± 0.1) µA/µM, detection limit (S/N = 3) of (2.1 ± 0.1) µM, and quantification limit of (7.5 ± 0.1) µM. In addition, the developed sensor exhibited high selectivity with an accuracy of (94.11 ± 0.01)%.

Ion-Imprinted Polymeric Materials for Selective Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solution

The introduction of selective recognition sites toward certain heavy metal ions (HMIs) is a great challenge, which has a major role when the separation of species with similar physicochemical features is considered. In this context, ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) developed based on the principle of molecular imprinting methodology, have emerged as an innovative solution. Recent advances in IIPs have shown that they exhibit higher selectivity coefficients than non-imprinted ones, which could support a large range of environmental applications starting from extraction and monitoring of HMIs to their detection and quantification. This review will emphasize the application of IIPs for selective removal of transition metal ions (including HMIs, precious metal ions, radionuclides, and rare earth metal ions) from aqueous solution by critically analyzing the most relevant literature studies from the last decade. In the first part of this review, the chemical components of IIPs, the main ion-imprinting technologies as well as the characterization methods used to evaluate the binding properties are briefly presented. In the second part, synthesis parameters, adsorption performance, and a descriptive analysis of solid phase extraction of heavy metal ions by various IIPs are provided.

Development of a New Route for the Immobilization of Unmodified Single-Stranded DNA on Chitosan Beads and Detection of Released Guanine after Hydrolysis

In this work, chitosan beads were used as a cost-effective platform for the covalent immobilization of unmodified single-stranded DNA, using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. The immobilized DNA capture probe was hybridized in the presence of miRNA-222 as a complementary sequence. The target was evaluated based on the electrochemical response of the released guanine, using hydrochloride acid as a hydrolysis agent. Differential pulse voltammetry technique and screen-printed electrodes modified with COOH-functionalized carbon black were used to monitor the released guanine response before and after hybridization. The functionalized carbon black provided an important signal amplification of guanine compared to the other studied nanomaterials. Under optimal conditions (6 M HCl at 65 °C for 90 min), an electrochemical-based label-free genosensor assay exhibited a linear range between 1 nM and 1 µM of miRNA-222, with a detection limit of 0.2 nM of miRNA-222. The developed sensor was successfully used to quantify miRNA-222 in a human serum sample.

Paper-based optical sensors paired with smartphones for biomedical analysis

The traditional analytical methods used for biomedical analysis are expensive and not easy to handle and require sophisticated instruments, thus their application is limited in resource-limited settings. Due to their portability, low cost, and ability to be applied to different analytical techniques, paper-based analytical devices are becoming valuable tools for biomedical analysis. The integration of smartphones into analytical devices has provided the ability to build portable, cost-effective, straightforward analytical devices for biomedical analysis and mobile health. The key aim of this review is to emphasize the recent applications of PADs combined with a smartphone for the optical analysis of biomedical species. We started this review by highlighting the type of papers and their modifications with different materials to prepare the PADs. After that, this review presents various detection methods including colorimetry, fluorescence, and luminescence where the smartphone is used for read-out. In the end, we provided the recent applications of the analysis of different biomedical compounds such as cancer and cardiovascular biomarkers, metal ions, glucose, viruses, etc. We believe that the present review will attract a wide scientific community in the areas of analytical chemistry, sensors, and clinical testing.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Meet Molecularly Imprinted Polymers: Insights and Prospects for Sensor Applications

The use of porous materials as the core for synthesizing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) adds significant value to the resulting sensing system. This review covers in detail the current progress and achievements regarding the synergistic combination of MIPs and porous materials, namely metal/covalent-organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs), including the application of such frameworks in the development of upgraded sensor platforms. The different processes involved in the synthesis of MOF/COF-MIPs are outlined, along with their intrinsic properties. Special attention is paid to debriefing the impact of the morphological changes that occur through the synergistic combination compared to those that occur due to the individual entities. Thereafter, the strategies used for building the sensors, as well as the transduction modes, are overviewed and discussed. This is followed by a full description of research advances for various types of MOF/COF-MIP-based (bio)sensors and their applications in the fields of environmental monitoring, food safety, and pharmaceutical analysis. Finally, the challenges/drawbacks, as well as the prospects of this research field, are discussed in detail.

A Critical Review of Analytical Applications of Chitosan as a Sustainable Chemical with Functions Galore

Biomass and biowastes stand as sustainable and cost-effective environmentally benign alternative feedstock. Chitosan is a biocompatible, bioactive, and biodegradable biopolymer derived from chitin to achieve eight aspects out of the 12 green chemistry principles. Chitosan got significant attention in several fields including chemical analysis, in addition to chemical functionally, which enabled its use as adsorbent and its structural crosslinking using various crosslinkers. The physicochemical, technological, and optical properties of chitosan have been extensively exploited in analysis. Mainly, deacetylation degree and molecular weight are controlling its properties and hence controlling its functions. This review presents a structure, properties, and functions relationships of chitosan. It also aims to provide an overview of the different functions that chitosan can serve in each analytical technique such as supporting matrix, catalyst…etc. The contribution of chitosan in improving the ecological performance is discussed in each technique.

Factors Affecting the Analytical Performance of Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

During the last few years, separation techniques using molecular imprinting polymers (MIPs) have been developed, making certain improvements using magnetic properties. Compared to MIP, Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) have high selectivity in sample pre-treatment and allow for fast and easy isolation of the target analyte. Its magnetic properties and good extraction performance depend on the MMIP synthesis step, which consists of 4 steps, namely magnetite manufacture, magnetic coating using modified components, polymerization and template desorption. This review discusses the factors that will affect the performance of MMIP as a selective sorbent at each stage. MMIP, using Fe₃O₄ as a magnetite core, showed strong superparamagnetism; it was prepared using the co-precipitation method using FeCl₃·6H₂O and FeCl₂·H₂O to obtain high magnetic properties, using NH₄OH solution added for higher crystallinity. In magnetite synthesis, the use of a higher temperature and reaction time will result in a larger nanoparticle size and high magnetization saturation, while a higher pH value will result in a smaller particle size. In the modification step, the use of high amounts of oleic acid results in smaller nanoparticles; furthermore, determining the correct molar ratio between FeCl₃ and the shielding agent will also result in smaller particles. The next factor is that the proper ratio of functional monomer, cross-linker and solvent will improve printing efficiency. Thus, it will produce MMIP with high selectivity in sample pre-treatment.

Molecularly Imprinted Chitosan-Based Thin Films with Selectivity for Nicotine Derivatives for Application as a Bio-Sensor and Filter

This study reports the feasible use of chitosan as a thin film biosensor on the very sensitive quartz crystal micro balance system for detection of blends of multiple templates within a single matrix. The development of chitosan-based thin film materials with selectivity for nicotine derivatives is described. The molecular imprinting of a combination of nicotine derivatives in N-diacryloyl pipiradine-chitosan-methacrylic acid copolymer films on quartz crystal resonators was used to generate thin films with selectivity for nicotine and a range of nicotine analogues, particularly 3-phenylpyridine. The polymers were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic evaluations; surface area, pore size, pore volume using Breuner-Emmet-Teller method. Temperature characteristics were also studied. The swelling and structure consistency of the Chitosan was achieved by grafting with methylmethacrylic acid and cross-linking with N-diacrylol pipiradine. A blend of 0.002 g (0.04 mmol) of Chitosan, 8.5 μL Methylmethacrylic Acid and 1.0 mg N-diacrylol pipradine (BAP) presented the best blend formulation. Detections were made within a time interval of 99 s, and blend templates were detected at a concentration of 0.5 mM from the Quartz crystal microbalance resonator analysis. The successful crosslinking of the biopolymers ensured successful control of the swelling and agglomeration of the chitosan, giving it the utility potential for use as thin film sensor. This successful crosslinking also created successful dual multiple templating on the chitosan matrix, even for aerosolized templates. The products can be used in environments with temperature ranges between 60 °C and 250 °C.

Green molecularly imprinted polymers for sustainable sample preparation

The use of molecularly imprinted polymers in sample preparation as selective sorbent materials has received great attention during the last years leading to analytical methods with unprecedented selectivity. However, with the progressive implementation of Green Analytical Chemistry principles, it is necessary to critically review the greenness of synthesis and further use of molecularly imprinted polymers in sample preparation. Accordingly, in the present review, the different steps and strategies for the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers, the used reagents, as well as their incorporation to microextraction techniques are reviewed from a green perspective and recent alternatives to make the use of molecularly imprinted polymers more sustainable are provided.

Preparation and adsorption properties of Ni(ii) ion-imprinted polymers based on synthesized novel functional monomer

In this study, a novel functional monomer N-(1-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)ethyl)acrylamide (NDTEA) was designed and synthesized, and was used to prepare Ni(ii) ion-imprinted polymers (Ni(ii)-IIPs). Sixteen kinds of Ni(ii)-IIP (Ni(ii)-IIP1–16) and corresponding non-imprinted polymers (NIP1–16) were prepared by precipitation polymerization method. After optimized condition experiment, Ni(ii)-IIP5 possessed maximum adsorption capacity and better imprinting factor under optimal experimental conditions which indicated by equilibrium adsorption experiments. The morphology and structural characteristics of Ni(ii)-IIP5 were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The adsorption selectivity of Ni(ii)-IIP5 was analyzed by ICP-OES, and the results showed that Ni(ii)-IIP5 had favorable selectivity recognition ability for Ni(ii) when Cu(ii), Co(ii), and Cd(ii) are used as competitive ions. The kinetic experiment indicated that the performance of Ni(ii) adsorption on the surface of Ni(ii)-IIP5 obeyed the pseudo-first-order model, and adsorption equilibrium was attained after 15 min. Isothermal adsorption process fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isothermal adsorption models, simultaneously. The results showed that Ni(ii)-IIP5 prepared by using a new functional monomer had better permeation selectivity and higher affinity for Ni(ii), which also verified the rationality of the functional monomer design. At the same time, it also provided a broad application prospect for removal of Ni(ii) in complex samples.

Green Aspects in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers by Biomass Waste Utilization

Molecular Imprinting Polymer (MIP) technology is a technique to design artificial receptors with a predetermined selectivity and specificity for a given analyte, which can be used as ideal materials in various application fields. In the last decades, MIP technology has gained much attention from the scientific world as summarized in several reviews with this topic. Furthermore, green synthesis in chemistry is nowadays one of the essential aspects to be taken into consideration in the development of novel products. In accordance with this feature, the MIP community more recently devoted considerable research and development efforts on eco-friendly processes. Among other materials, biomass waste, which is a big environmental problem because most of it is discarded, can represent a potential sustainable alternative source in green synthesis, which can be addressed to the production of high-value carbon-based materials with different applications. This review aims to focus and explore in detail the recent progress in the use of biomass waste for imprinted polymers preparation. Specifically, different types of biomass waste in MIP preparation will be exploited: chitosan, cellulose, activated carbon, carbon dots, cyclodextrins, and waste extracts, describing the approaches used in the synthesis of MIPs combined with biomass waste derivatives.

Towards Clean and Safe Water: A Review on the Emerging Role of Imprinted Polymer-Based Electrochemical Sensors

This review critically summarizes the knowledge of imprinted polymer-based electrochemical sensors for the detection of pesticides, metal ions and waterborne pathogenic bacteria, focusing on the last five years. MIP-based electrochemical sensors exhibit low limits of detection (LOD), high selectivity, high sensitivity and low cost. We put the emphasis on the design of imprinted polymers and their composites and coatings by radical polymerization, oxidative polymerization of conjugated monomers or sol-gel chemistry. Whilst most imprinted polymers are used in conjunction with differential pulse or square wave voltammetry for sensing organics and metal ions, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) appears as the chief technique for detecting bacteria or their corresponding proteins. Interestingly, bacteria could also be probed via their quorum sensing signaling molecules or flagella proteins. If much has been developed in the past decade with glassy carbon or gold electrodes, it is clear that carbon paste electrodes of imprinted polymers are more and more investigated due to their versatility. Shortlisted case studies were critically reviewed and discussed; clearly, a plethora of tricky strategies of designing selective electrochemical sensors are offered to "Imprinters". We anticipate that this review will be of interest to experts and newcomers in the field who are paying time and effort combining electrochemical sensors with MIP technology.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Microsensor Based on Molecularly Imprinted Chitosan Film Grafted on a 4-Aminophenylacetic Acid (CMA) Modified Gold Electrode, for the Sensitive Detection of Glyphosate

A novel electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) microsensor was implemented for the dosage of traces of glyphosate, in real and synthetic water samples. Molecularly imprinted chitosan was covalently immobilized on the surface of the microelectrode previously modified with 4-aminophenylacetic acid (CMA). The characterization of the resulting microelectrodes was carried out by using cyclic voltammetry measurement (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS). EIS responses of the CS-MIPs/CMA/Au microsensor toward GLY was well-proportional to the concentration in the range from 0.31 × 10^-9 to 50 × 10^-6 mg/mL indicating a good correlation. The detection limit of GLY was 1 fg/mL (S/N = 3). Moreover, this microsensor showed good reproducibility and repeatability, high selectivity, and can be used for the detection of GLY in river water.

Antibacterial effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria via lysozyme imprinted cryogel membranes

The development of novel biocompatible and cost effective cryogel membrane which shows enhanced antimicrobial properties in order to use for several approaches such as wound dressing, scaffold or food packaging was aimed in this study. A super macro porous lysozyme imprinted cryogel membranes showing antibacterial effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were prepared by using molecular imprinting technique. N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methyl ester (MAH) was used as the pseudo specific ligand and complexed with Cu⁺⁺ in order to provide metal ion coordination between MAH and template molecule (lysozyme). Comparing the antibacterial activity of different lysozyme concentrations, cryogel membranes were prepared in three different concentrations. To synthesize Poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methylester) P(HEMA-MAH) cryogel membrane, free radical polymerization initiated by N, N, N', N'-tetramethylene diamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) was carried out at -12 °C. The characterization of the lysozyme imprinted cryogel membrane was accomplished by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling degree measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity test of produced membrane was performed by using mouse fibroblast cell line L929. The antibacterial activity of P(HEMA-MAH) lysozyme molecular imprinted [P(HEMA-MAH) Lyz-MIP] cryogel membranes against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were determined by Kirby-Bauer membranes diffusion and viable cell counting methods. When the antibacterial effect of P(HEMA-MAH) Lyz-MIP cryogel membranes were evaluated, it was found that P(HEMA-MAH) Lyz-MIP cryogel membranes had stronger antibacterial effects against Gram-negative E. coli bacteria even in low lysozyme concentrations. In addition, 100% bacterial inhibition was detected for both of two bacteria at increasing lysozyme concentrations.

High Performance Zinc Oxide Nanorod-Doped Ion Imprinted Polypyrrole for the Selective Electrosensing of Mercury II Ions

A biomimetic, ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was prepared by electropolymerization of pyrrole at the surface of gold electrodes decorated with vertically grown ZnO nanorods. The vertical growth of the nanorods was achieved via an ultrathin aryl monolayer grafted by reduction of diazonium salt precursor. Pyrrole was polymerized in the presence of L-cysteine as chelating agent and Hg2+ (template). Hg2+-imprinted polypyrrole (PPy) was also prepared on a bare gold electrode in order to compare the two methods of sensor design (Au-ZnO-IIP vs. Au-IIP). Non-imprinted PPy was prepared in the same conditions but in the absence of any Hg2+ template. The strategy combining diazonium salt modification and ZnO nanorod decoration of gold electrodes permitted us to increase considerably the specific surface area and thus improve the sensor performance. The limit of detection (LOD) of the designed sensor was ~1 pM, the lowest value ever reported in the literature for gold electrode sensors. The dissociation constants between PPy and Hg2+ were estimated at [Kd1 = (7.89 ± 3.63) mM and Kd2 = (38.10 ± 9.22) pM]. The sensitivity of the designed sensor was found to be 0.692 ± 0.034 μA.pM-1. The Au-ZnO-IIP was found to be highly selective towards Hg2+ compared to cadmium, lead and copper ions. This sensor design strategy could open up new horizons in monitoring toxic heavy metal ions in water and therefore contribute to enhancing environmental quality.