Patent ID: 9701765
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: B01D,B01J,C08F,G01N,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method for detecting a target molecule in a solution that may comprise the target molecule, the method comprising: (a) providing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) units particles having a surface comprising at least one target binding site configured to resemble the target molecule and surface-bound chargeable groups in a first solvent comprising a buffer selected from the group consisting of citric acids, acetates and phosphates; wherein the MIP particles are produced by: (b) contacting said MIP units particles from step (a) with the solution; wherein pH of the first solvent is selected to be a pH which deprotonates the surface-bound chargeable groups and protonates the target molecule; or a pH which protonates the surface-bound chargeable groups and deprotonates the target molecule, such that polarity of the target molecule is opposite that of the surface-bound chargeable groups of the MIP units particles; wherein said detection is performed by measuring rate of agglomeration of said MIP units particles in said solution due to electrostatic interaction between target molecules and the at least one target binding site sites of the MIP units particles; and wherein an increased rate of agglomeration of said MIPS units indicates presence of the target molecule.