Abstract:
A novel, selective, sensitive, cheap and robust hemoglobin imprinted polymer (Hb-MIP) in
the form of a powder, was synthesised through bulk, free-radical polymerization employing
molecular imprinting technology (MIT), for the selective removal of interfering hemoglobin
from whole blood samples prior to instrumental analysis in molecular diagnostics and
toxicological assays. Following solid phase extraction clean-up through batch rebinding
experiments, the Hb-MIP powder effectively removed hemoglobin from whole blood
samples as demonstrated by the UV-Vis absorbance reductions from as high as 0.794 Au to
lower values of 0.193 Au. It also proved to be efficient by optimally removing hemoglobin
within 18 min. Experimentally, the powder showed good selectivity towards hemoglobin as
demonstrated by the percentage removal efficiency of 76%, even in the presence of
analogous species such as chlorophyll with a negligible percentage removal efficiency of
about 32%. Furthermore, the Hb-MIP powder was compared to a commercially available and
expensive interferents removing material, graphitized carbon black (GCB) powder that is not selective, as shown by almost the same percentage removal efficiencies of 96% and 91%, for
hemoglobin and chlorophyll, respectively. The synthesized Hb-MIP powder in this thesis
presented itself as an efficient, selective, cheap and non-destructive whole blood clean-up
pre-analytical tool that with further research may replace the conventional whole blood cleanup
strategies that are currently employed in molecular diagnostics and toxicological assays
such as the common, inefficient and destructive centrifugation.
