Preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for separating rutin from Chinese medicinal plants

The preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) which can be used for the separation and purification of rutin from Chinese medicinal plants has been proposed. By applying the improved co-precipitation method, magnetic Fe3O4 particles were easily prepared, followed by the modification of TEOS and functionalization with –CHCH2. Using functionalized Fe3O4 particles as the magnetic cores, rutin as the template, and acrylamide as the functional monomer, MMIPs were synthesized by surface-imprinted polymerization under the protection of nitrogen gas and successive mechanical stirring at 60 °C for 24 h. Magnetic non-molecularly imprinted polymers (MNIPs) were also prepared with the same synthesis procedure as with MMIPs only without the presence of rutin. Magnetic particles were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, and TG analysis. And the selectivity of MMIPs was also investigated in detail. In addition, the performance of the MMIPs for the adsorption of rutin in the analysis of Chinese medicinal plants was assessed. The mean recoveries were 84.33% (RSD: 3.22%, n = 3) for Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Bail and 85.20% (RSD: 3.58%, n = 3) for Flos Sophorae, respectively, which showed that the prepared MMIPs with many advantages possess the value of practical application.