Molecular Imprinting for Sample Preparation

Sample preparation is the most crucial step for the development of an analytical method. The main purpose of sample preparation is the extraction and preconcentration of the target analytes, as well as the removal of the matrix interferences, before their separation and determination. It is the most time consuming step that should be deliberately optimized to enhance extraction selectivity and detection capability. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE), along with their variations, are usually applied for sample extraction and cleanup. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can replace conventional sorbent materials in sample preparation techniques such as SPE, solid phase microextraction (SMPE), and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD), offering increased selectivity over the target analytes. Attention is given in molecularly imprinted SPE (MISPE), which is mostly employed to study MIP applications, as well as a commercially available technique.