Characterization of particle morphology of biochanin A molecularly imprinted polymers and their properties as a potential sorbent for solid-phase extraction

• The molecularly imprinted polymers with biochanin A as a template were synthesized.
• The surface of synthesized monoliths was formed mainly from mesopores (73–77%).
• Biochanin A was effectively concentrated in each of the synthesized polymers (recovery > 89.8%).
• The results show potential ability of synthesized MIPs in analysis of phytoestrogens in real samples.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with biochanin A as a template were obtained using a bulk polymerization with non-covalent imprinting approach. The polymers were prepared in acetonitrile as porogen, using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as cross-linking agent. The synthesis, with an application of 1′,1′-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) (ACHN) as an initiator, has been performed thermally. During the synthesis process the effect of different functional monomers such as methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylamide (AA) and 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) was investigated. The application of nitrogen sorption porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) permitted the characterization and evaluation of synthesized polymers. The adsorption capacity of obtained MIPs was checked by using the binding testing. All synthesized polymers were evaluated as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for isolation and preconcentration of biochanin A and its analogues, daidzein and genistein. The MIPs exhibited higher affinity for biochanin A over competitive compounds.

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