Development of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)selective to vitamin k2 for application in food samples

• Grant number: 20/01517-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Maria Del Pilar Taboada Sotomayor
• Grantee: Giovana Valero da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/01098-3 - Biosensor for dengue detection based on magnetic molecular imprinted nanopolymer, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Vitamins are organic substances that have fundamental tasks for the functioning of the body. They must be introduced through food because bodies do not synthesize most of them. Vitamin K is an important anticoagulant and can be found in many different structures. We intend to study the structure of vitamin K2 (or menaquinone) in this project, which can be found significantly in the liver of ruminants such as the cow. An inexpensive and effective way to recognize vitamin K2 in food is the synthesis of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP). In a synthesis of a MIP, a functional monomer interacts with the analytic studied forming an analytic-functional monomer complex which, after polymerization, may allow the development of a selective cavity for the studied template (analytic). Once synthesized, the template is washed off, getting a polymer with highly selective cavities. In the literature there are some works with other structures of vitamin K, however, specifically on menaquinone, there are no studies on the synthesis of MIP for this structure. Thus, this project proposes to synthesize a MIP-magnetic for vitamin K2, characterize and test on food samples.