Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of a molecularly imprinted polymer selective for artificial phenolic estrogenic compounds

Abstract

A molecularly imprinted polymer has been prepared using a hexestrol template. The polymer was synthesised using diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DAEM) as functional monomer and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as cross-linking monomer via a photoinitiated addition polymerisation. An equivalent blank polymer was also synthesised in the absence of the template compound. After packing into a stainless steel column (150 × 4.6 mm id), retention and elution of the template and related compounds were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the material synthesised in the presence of hexestrol demonstrated a selectivity towards compounds containing the stilbene carbon backbone (diethylstilbestrol, dienestrol, hexestrol).