<i>In-Situ</i> Synthesized Myoglobin Imprinted Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)/Silica Nanocomposite Gels by Using the Molecular Imprinting Method

Abstract

Temperature sensitive imprinted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanocomposite gels were syntheses via in-situ, free radical crosslinking polymerization of corresponding monomer in nano-sized silica and five different concentrations of myoglobin solution by using the molecular imprinting method. Mb adsorption from five different concentrations of Mb solutions was investigated by two types of nanocomposite gel systems prepared by non-imprinted and imprinted methods. Nanocomposite gels imprinted with Mb showed higher adsorption capacity and specificity for Mb than nanocomposite gels prepared by the usual procedure. The highest Mb adsorption was observed via the imprinted nanocomposite gels with 12.5% Mb. In addition, selectivity studies were also performed by using two reference molecules as fibrinogen and hemoglobin. The imprinted nanocomposite gels had higher adsorption capacity for Mb than the non-imprinted gels and also exhibited good selectivity for Mb and high adsorption rate depending on the number of Mb sized cavities.