Dummy Fragment Template Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Solid-phase Extraction of Gonyautoxins from Seawater

ABSTRACT

A multitemplate molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized using fragments similar to gonyautoxins 1 and 4 including 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine, 4-hydroxy-2-butanone, and imidazole as dummy templates by bulk polymerization. Scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy showed a porous structure and the formation of organic groups in the imprinting process of the polymer. One millilitre of 0.1 mol L⁻¹ acetic acid and 1 mL of 95% methanol were the optimized washing and eluting solutions during the molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction. The adsorption capacity of the multitemplate molecularly imprinted polymer was lower than for the monotemplate molecularly imprinted polymer prepared in a previous study in seawater in which Alexandrium tamarense and Alexandrium minutum were cultivated. This result may due to the inappropriate combination of the dummy template fragments in the synthesis resulting in the unfitness of the imprinting sites for gonyautoxins 1 and 4. In general, it is inappropriate to use fragments with the similar parts to the analyte as the dummy templates. However, this work indicated the optimal molecularly imprinted polymer for the selective extraction of gonyautoxins 1 and 4.

KEYWORDS:

• Alexandrium minutum
• Alexandrium tamarense
• dummy template molecularly imprinted polymer
• gonyautoxins 1, 4

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Program on Global Change and Air-Sea Interaction under Grant number GASI-03-01-02-01 and the Assessment of Nanomaterials on Biological and Ecological Effects in Coastal Area under Grant number 201505034.