Abstract: Results of a novel surface molecular imprinting method based on emulsion polymerization are presented. After casting a water-in-oil emulsion onto microporous poly(propylene) membranes, the oil phase containing cross-linkers and monomers was polymerized around the imprint (template) molecules by using UV irradiation. Aqueous acetic acid was used to extract the entrapped template (theophylline) molecule to form imprinted cavities. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR/IR), NMR and contact angle measurements were used to analyze the efficacy of this process. Selectivity toward theophylline over caffeine was demonstrated. Because of new combinatorial methods, affinity ligands are being developed based on organically synthesized peptide, RNA and even DNA binding molecules. The methods to develop these binding ligands or substrates are complicated and expensive. Successful molecular recognition through polymer surface imprinting would broaden the available substrates for affinity binding and reduce the cost. The method proposed here has the potential to be simple, scalable and inexpensive, and could effectively compete with these other methods.

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