Molecularly imprinted inorganic supports in high-performance liquid chromatography and solid-phase extraction

Selective preconcentration of analytes or groups of similar analytes is often useful in the analysis of biological and environmental samples and other samples of complex composition. The problem of the selective recognition of analytes can be solved using the method of molecular imprinting, which is gaining wide acceptance as an alternative to the use of biological recognition agents, for example antibodies, and favors overcoming the shortcomings inherent to the last named ones. The use of molecularly imprinted materials as adsorbents for solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography ensures an increase in the selectivity of analyte determination in complex matrixes. This paper is a review of methods for the preparation of molecular imprints on the surface of inorganic matrixes, including nanostructured ones, and of the applications of these materials to chemical analysis.