Development of a selective molecularly imprinted polymer-based solid-phase extraction for copper from food samples

In this study is proposed a pre-concentration procedure using molecular imprinted polymer for the determination of copper in food samples. The copper imprinted polymer was prepared by free radical solution polymerization in a tube containing copper, morin, 4-vinylpyridine as a functional monomer, ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate as a cross-linking monomer, and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. The polymer particles synthesized both before and after leaching have been characterized by infrared and X-ray diffraction studies. The effect of different variables such as pH of solution, adsorption and desorption time, type, and least amount of eluent for elution of the complex of polymer was evaluated. Extraction efficiencies more than 99% were obtained by elution of the polymer with 10 mL of 0.5 mol L(-1) EDTA. The detection limit of the proposed procedure was 0.14 microg L(-1). The method was applied to the determination of copper in food real samples.