Chromatographic features and molecular recognition mechanism of a strychnine monolithic molecularly imprinted polymer

A monolithic molecularly imprinted polymer (mMIP) with specific recognition ability for strychnine was prepared by in-situ polymerization, using methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linking agent, toluene and dodecanol as porogenic solvents and 2, 2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a initiator. Scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry were used to identify the structural features of the mMIP. The results show that there were three kinds of pore structures. The large through-pore structure allows mobile phase to flow through a column of mMIP with a low back pressure and the other pores lead to the molecular recognition. Some chromatographic conditions such as the pH and the composition of the mobile phase were characterized. Strychnine was separated from compounds such as indole, quinine and brucine. The possible recognition mechanisms were ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions between the strychnine molecule and the mMIP.