Synthesis and LC characterization of clenbuterol molecularly imprinted polymers

Highly selective non-covalent clenbuterol (CL) imprinted polymers were prep ared using methacrylic acid as monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylale a s cross-linking agent. HPLC experiments with columns packed with this mater ial showed that CL are selectively recognised with respect to all other adr energic substances studied using a phosphate buffer/acetonitrile eluent. Th e separation was strongly dependent on pH and the organic/aqueous phase rat io. An important contribution to the recognition mechanism from hydrophobic interactions was found at higher water content. These results demonstrate that a novel family of absorbents with high selectivity for CL was obtained which can be exploited in solid phase extractions or as recognition elemen ts for selective sensors. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.