IMPRINTED POLYMERS AS ANTIBODY MIMETICS AND NEW AFFINITY GELS FOR SELECTIVE SEPARATIONS IN CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Methacrylate-based imprinted dispersion polymers could be prepared in situ in a fused-silica capillary as agglomerates (ca. 10 mu m) of micr ometer-sized globular particles, exhibiting antibody mimetic, molecula r recognition properties. Thus, in one example, imprinted polymer part icles selective for pentamidine (PAM), a drug used for the treatment o f AIDS-related pneumonia, could be prepared in situ in the capillary. The retention could be varied predictably by changing the electrolyte pH. Thus, whereas no observable elution of PAM was achieved at near ne utral pH, the PAM-selective capillary gave a retention time of 18 min for PAM and 7.8 min for benzamidine at pH 3.5 whereas the retention ti mes were 6.6 and 6.1 min, respectively, with a reference capillary. Im portantly, the electrolyte could by pumped hydrodynamically through th e capillaries, allowing rapid phase changes and micro-chromatographic possibilities with high plate numbers.