Preparation of molecularly imprinted polymer for the specific adsorption and selective extraction of alkylresorcinols from whole wheat flour

Alkylresorcinols are important biomarkers for evaluating whole wheat foods. However, their structures encompass a broad spectrum of homologs, making isolating and analyzing individual alkylresorcinols notably challenging. Herein, we synthesized highly selective molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) utilizing a facile and cost-effective precipitation polymerization method and 5-heneicosylresorcinol (ARC21:0) as the template molecule. Various crucial preparation parameters were systematically optimized, such as different porogens, functional monomers, imprinting ratios, and polymerization time. The polymers were characterized through scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and their adsorption performances were thoroughly evaluated. MIPs exhibited a notably enhanced adsorption capacity compared with that of non-imprinted polymers, reaching an optimal adsorption amount of 71.75 mg·mL−1 and imprinting factor of 2.02. Altogether, the synthesized MIPs showed superior affinity and selectivity for ARC21:0, as confirmed by their selective extraction, suggesting their potential applications in the analysis, separation, and monitoring of ARC21:0 in whole wheat foods.