A new application of imprinted polymers: Speciation of organotin compounds

Polymeric Materials in Speciation Analysis Based on Solid-Phase Extraction

Speciation analysis is a relevant topic since the (eco)toxicity, bioavailability, bio (geo)chemical cycles, and mobility of a given element depend on its chemical forms (oxidation state, organic ligands, etc.). The reliability of analytical results for chemical species of elements depends mostly on the maintaining of their stability during the sample pretreatment step and on the selectivity of further separation step. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is a matter of choice as the most suitable and widely used procedure for both enrichment of chemical species of elements and their separation. The features of sorbent material are of great importance to ensure extraction efficiency from one side and selectivity from the other side of the SPE procedure. This review presents an update on the application of polymeric materials in solid-phase extraction used in nonchromatographic methods for speciation analysis.

Synthesis of an Organotin Specific Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for Organotin Passive Sampling in Seawater

Environmental contaminations can sometimes be difficult to measure, particularly in complex matrices such as seawater. This is the case of organotin compounds (OSn) such as the monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT), and tributyltin (TBT), whose range of polarity is wide. These compounds, mostly coming from antifouling paints used on ship shell, can be found in water and sediments where they are stable and can persist for years. Passive sampling is gaining in interest to offer solutions to monitor these kinds of compounds even in low concentrations. However, due to the diversity of pollutants present in the environment nowadays, it is important to propose solutions that allow a specific sampling. This work aims to highlight the usability of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in passive sampling for the monitoring of OSn. MIPs were synthetized using three synthesis ways (bulk, suspension, and mini-emulsion processes) and kinetics were realized in order to estimate the retention of OSn by the solid MIP phase. Results highlighted a good retention of OSn with mean retention kinetic constants near 10−5, 10−6 and 10−7 L·ng·s−1 for DBT, TBT and MBT respectively. The synthesis mode showed no impact on retention kinetics, therefore, bulk synthesis is recommended because of its simplicity. If the elimination of OSn from MIPs is to be optimized, the retention of OSn on MIPs has been demonstrated, and is very promising for their use in specific passive samplers.

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years 2004-2011

Herein, we present a survey of the literature covering the development of molecular imprinting science and technology over the years 2004-2011. In total, 3779 references to the original papers, reviews, edited volumes and monographs from this period are included, along with recently identified uncited materials from prior to 2004, which were omitted in the first instalment of this series covering the years 1930-2003. In the presentation of the assembled references, a section presenting reviews and monographs covering the area is followed by sections describing fundamental aspects of molecular imprinting including the development of novel polymer formats. Thereafter, literature describing efforts to apply these polymeric materials to a range of application areas is presented. Current trends and areas of rapid development are discussed.