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Molecularly
imprinted polymers (MIPs) are polymeric materials
containing microscale cavities or imprints of
defined shape, which are perfectly matched to a particular molecule or class of
molecules. When an MIP is exposed to
an environment containing a mixture of compounds, the MIP is able to
selectively bind molecules that match the imprint shape with a
lock-and-key-type interaction. Most sensors for
detecting and quantifying molecules bound to an MIP utilize optical
techniques, such as infrared, ultraviolet or visible spectroscopy; chemiluminescence,
fluorescence or phosphorescence; or various forms of atomic microscopy. These techniques require large-scale,
expensive and technically-complex instrumentation. Analysis of MIPs,
using such instruments, is therefore a time-consuming and costly process that
is limited to those locations where the instruments are housed. When speed and portability are important
because a molecule of interest may decompose or present a hazard, these
optical techniques are too slow and awkward to provide meaningful results. |
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«Technology Transfer Office : Sponsored Projects : Dartmouth College |
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Phone: (603) 646-3027 |
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Fax: (603) 646-3670 |
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