A Review of Molecular Imprinting Polymer for Separation of Bisphenol-A and its Analogues: Synthesis and Application

Background: BPA and its analogues are poisonous and hazardous and found in water, food and environmental samples. These are a dangerous class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that drastically affect the environment and human health. BPA and its analogues, such as BPS, BPF, BPE, BPB, BPAF, and BPAP, are a serious threat to human beings. Methods: Numerous methods are available for separating bisphenols (BPs) from water, food and environmental samples. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are a superior and eco-friendly technique that eliminates BPs due to cavities in the shape, size, and functionality complementary to the template molecule. MIPs are widely used to remove BPA and its analogues. The inexpensive MIPs are a more attractive choice for separating various BPs due to their unique properties and offer a satisfactory pathway to adsorb any BPs from water, food and environmental samples to overcome their hazardous effects on human health. Results: This review aims to analyze and assess the recent advancements of MIPs for the separation of bisphenols. Following a concise introduction for newcomers entering the field, a comprehensive critical review of developments of MIPs and their applications for BPA and its analogues has been presented. In this review, we have discussed the MIPs with the method and constituents of synthesis. Secondly, the development of the different types of MIPs (particle, monolithic, membrane) has been presented for the BPs. Finally, the use of MIP as a stationary phase in chromatography with an emphasis on BPs is described. This section is subdivided into high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary liquid chromatography (CLC), and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Conclusion: Molecular Imprinting technology (MIT) technology provides an attractive pathway for further research and improvement in more efficient MIPs, with higher adsorption capacity. The significance of applications allowed to separate the BPs and discharged from various samples, thus reducing health risks. Therefore, MIPs may contribute to future prospective water, food and environmental samples treatment processes.