Characterization of binding sites in molecularly imprinted polymers

In recent years interest has grown in a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity nature of binding sites in molecularly imprinted polymers, purposively designed artificial receptor materials. This article reviews the progress of the understanding of the molecular recognition binding sites beyond the usual description of adsorption isotherms. Analytical and numerical methods used for calculating the adsorption isotherms and the adsorption energy distribution, as a quantitative measure of the imprinted polymer heterogeneity, are included. Advantages and limitations of the different approaches are also discussed. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.