Evaluation of a molecularly imprinted polymer for the isolation/enrichment of β-estradiol

The selective preconcentration of estradiol was explored using the recognition ability of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) in the solid phase extraction (SPE) format. Polymeric particles were imprinted with 17β-estradiol using methacrylic acid as functional monomer and divinylbenzene as crosslinker. Binding studies of these polymeric particles towards 17β-estradiol showed selectivity over non-imprinted polymers, using acetonitrile as solvent. The imprinted polymer showed a recovery of 88% for β-estradiol in deionized water and 81% in surface water. The selectivity of the MIP over the non-imprinted polymer was relatively low, only 10% higher recovery. The results indicate that the MIP imprinted with 17β-estradiol does not appear to provide a viable approach to be used in a sample clean-up or enrichment step for the determination of estradiol in aqueous systems.