Chromatographic characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers bindingthe herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid

Two polymers binding the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5 -T) were prepared by utilising the technique of the non-covalent molecular imprinting polymerisation in an aqueous medium. The polymers obtained were packed in HPLC columns and the effects of the mobile phase composition on t he retention of the imprinting molecule and the selectivity of the stationa ry phases towards several analogous structures were studied by liquid chrom atography. The columns showed a good level of selectivity towards the templ ate and strictly related molecules. It was found that the molecular recogni tion mechanism acting on the columns was dependent on a combination of ion pair and hydrophobic interactions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.