Chromatographic separation for domoic acid using a fragment imprinted polymer

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) is a significant public health concern caused by toxins like domoic acid.
• Accurate and efficient detection methods for domoic acid in seafood are crucial for food safety.
• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer potential for selective analyte recognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective capture of domoic acid.
• To identify optimal template molecules for MIP synthesis targeting domoic acid.
• To demonstrate the application of the developed MIP in the chromatographic separation of domoic acid from complex matrices.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers using various aromatic dicarboxylic acids as templates.
• Evaluation of template efficiency based on selective recognition of domoic acid.
• Utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with MIP-packed columns for domoic acid separation.
• Analysis of domoic acid in extracts from blue mussel samples.

Main Results:

• O-phthalic acid was identified as the most effective template for creating MIPs with high selectivity for domoic acid.
• The MIP's recognition ability is attributed to the complementary interactions between the carboxylic acid groups of domoic acid and the o-phthalic acid template.
• Effective chromatographic separation of domoic acid from blue mussel extracts was achieved using an LC column packed with the o-phthalic acid-templated MIP.

Conclusions:

• Molecularly imprinted polymers templated with o-phthalic acid demonstrate excellent selectivity for domoic acid.
• The developed MIP-based chromatographic method is suitable for the clean-up and analysis of domoic acid in toxic shellfish.
• This approach provides a promising tool for ensuring seafood safety by detecting amnesic shellfish poison.