Monoliths with proteins as chiral selectors for enantiomer separation

Recent advances in monolithic systems, especially the development of functionalized monoliths, make it more tentative for separation science, such as enantiomer separation. Proteins, as one category of well-acknowledged chiral selectors, have won a reputation of separating a wide range of enantiomeric mixtures due to varieties of functional groups at their surface. However, the combination of protein and monoliths for chiral analysis is seldom reported, thus the state-of-the-art in monolith with proteins as chiral selectors for enantiomer separations is comprehensively reviewed. This review focuses on organic polymer monoliths, silica monoliths and molecularly imprinted polymer monoliths functionalized by proteins or glycoproteins, introducing the possible mechanisms, the immobilizing ways as well as the associated problems. Related areas such as partial filling technique are also covered. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.