Isotherm parameters and intraparticle mass transfer kinetics on molecularly imprinted polymers in acetonitrile/buffer mobile phases

The equilibrium isotherm and the intraparticle mass transfer kinetics of the enantiomers of the template were investigated on an Fmoc-L-tryptophan (Fmoc-L-Trp) imprinted polymer at different pHs and water concentrations in acetonitrile/aqueous buffer mobile phases. The equilibrium isotherm data were measured using frontal analysis at 25±2∘C. The adsorption energy distribution was found to be trimodal, with narrow modes. Consistent with this distribution, the adsorption data were modeled using a tri-Langmuir isotherm equation and the best estimates of the isotherm parameters were determined. The intraparticle mass transfer parameters were derived by comparing the profiles of experimental overloaded bands and the profiles calculated using the isotherm model and the lumped pore diffusion (POR) model of chromatography. These results showed that different adsorption and mass transfer mechanisms exist in mobile phases made of acetonitrile/aqueous buffer and of acetonitrile/acetic acid solutions.