Chromatographic characterization of a molecular imprinted polymer binding cortisol

A cortisol-binding polymer was prepared by utilising a non-covalent molecular imprinting polymerisation technique. The obtained polymer was packed in a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column; the selectivity was studied by liquid chromatography, eluting cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, progesterone, 11-ketoprogesterone, 11α-hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, cortisol 21-hemisuccinate, and cortisol 21-acetate with chloroform, containing 0.5% (v/v) acetic acid, as mobile phase. The mechanism of molecular imprinting was confirmed and a good selectivity for cortisol, with limited recognition for cortisone and 11α-hydroxyprogesterone, was found.