The promise of molecular imprinting

Researchers are testing applications of molecular imprinting by involving a new molecule from an imprint. Plastic beads or other structures are covered with imprints of specific molecules, and the imprints are put to use for selected jobs. This technology could have applications in many areas, including the food industry, which expects to provide benefits in its ability to remove contaminants, such as fungal poison aflatoxin. The new tools are also widely used in biomedical field for drug purification and separation, and contribute to the development of medical devices and diagnostic tools. Besides this, a single sensor unit equipped with multiple kinds of molecular imprinting could identify several compounds in an individual sample at once. Molecular imprinting relies on their ability to capture the molecules or microorganisms that match a particular template, and other applications involving molding plastic to mimic all or some parts of natural molecules.