Polymer Beads Research Articles

Mercury removal from aqueous media by aminated polyacrylonitrile beads impregnated with nano-urchin bismuth sulfide particles: Experimental and theoretical analysis under batch and continuous mode

The present study encompasses a thorough analysis of aqueous Hg (II) adsorption using aminated polyacrylonitrile beads incorporated with high-capacity surfactant assisted bismuth sulfide nanoparticles. The porous beads provided effective contact between aqueous Hg and the inorganic nano-adsorbent (PBS2) that was encapsulated in the matrix. The macro-sized beads served as suitable packing material for designing a fixed bed adsorption column for continuous mode analysis without significant pressure build up and offered an easy solid–liquid separation after treatment. A marginal negative zeta potential of the adsorbent beads improved the interaction with Hg2+ facilitating the sorption. The incorporation of amine groups into the polymeric bead surface via amination increased the adsorption capacity further from 83.30 mg/g to 130.00 mg/g (∼56.00%) at 303 K. The associated parameters of batch kinetics (effective pore diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient) were determined using a first principle-based model available in literature. Mercury was chemisorbed via synergistic lone pair interactions of S and N atoms with Hg, leading to formation of coordination bonds (Hg-S and Hg-N). An established mass transfer model was utilized to generate simulated breakthrough curves for the continuous analysis using synthetic feed. Additionally, the adsorption column showed comparable performance using both synthetic and real water samples (synthetically spiked) maintaining high selectivity. The optimized values of axial dispersion coefficient (Ez) and fixed bed mass transfer coefficient (kfb) were estimated and subsequently used for the scale up studies to predict column life. The adsorbent beads were regenerated using 0.05 M EDTA aqueous solution and showed good reusability (>95.00%) after 5 cycles of operation. Overall, this work highlights a reusable Hg adsorbent possessing good selectivity and capacity and simultaneously demonstrating real-field applicability.

Rapid fabrication of colloidal crystal films by spin coating using polymeric particles synthesized by dispersion polymerization

Rapid fabrication of colloidal photonic crystals was successfully carried out by spin coating using polymeric beads. To this end, monodisperse polystyrene (PS) nanospheres were synthesized by dispersion polymerization using alcohol as a reaction medium to prepare coating solution. Transmission of visible light at a specific wavelength could be observed, which is measured by transmittance spectra of coating samples. The transmission intensity of light at specific wavelength could be controlled by adjusting rotation speed or the concentration of coating solution, while peak wavelength could be adjusted by the size of PS nanospheres. Inorganic inverse opal like macroporous silica or titania films were fabricated by diffusion of silica or titania nanoparticles through colloidal crystal film, followed by calcination for removal of PS nanospheres. As a demonstrative application of inverse opal films, photocatalytic decomposition of organic dye was performed under UV light illumination by immersing the macroporous titania film in aqueous solution. The rate constant of decomposition reaction could be estimated from transient data of the dye concentration.

Capture of volatile I2 by dithioglycol functionalized HKUST-1 and its polymeric composite beads

Successful sequestration of radioactive waste is one of the primary bottle necks of nuclear technologies. The present work describes the effect of dithioglycol functionalization of HKUST-1 on its I2 adsorption performance at 80 °C both in powder and composite bead form. The nature of interaction between I2 and the host matrix has been revealed employing various techniques. There observed a profound enhancement in adsorption kinetics upon functionalization compare to pristine HKUST-1. Composite bead with 60% MOF shows an adsorption capacity of 0.98 g/gbead which is 4.2 times higher than reported PVDF based composite bead of HKUST-1. Unlike HKUST-1, in present studies I2 adsorption takes place through both physic-sorption & chemi-sorption means yielding γ-CuI which acts as secondary adsorbent and converted into I2@CuI through molecular I2 adsorption. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the simple synthesis of γ-CuI homogeneously distributed throughout the polymeric composite bead.

Convective Flow-Assisted Catalytic Propulsion of Polymer Beads Coated with Pd Nanoparticles for the Detection of Enzyme Inhibitors and Industrial Effluents

Ultrasensitive detection of enzyme inhibitors and heavy metal contaminants in effluents constitutes a major interdisciplinary research area. Multiple methods based on colorimetry, conductance measurement, reactivity estimation, etc., have been developed in this direction, which often involve the use of sophisticated equipment and complex methodologies. Herein, we present a simple, table-top technique for the detection of enzyme inhibitors and industrial effluents using convective flow-assisted propulsion of catalytic palladium nanoparticle (NP)-coated polymer motors in solution. The motors display buoyancy-driven self-propulsion, which is further enhanced in the presence of secondary catalysts like catalase and horseradish peroxidase, generating auxiliary convection in the experimental chamber. The convection and the motor propulsion were sensitive toward molecules that inhibited the enzyme activity, thereby offering a platform for using NP-coated catalytic motors as dynamic sensing probes for harmful chemicals in liquids. Initially, effective sensing of trace amounts of Cu2+, Ag+, and Cd2+ ions was performed based on the reduced propulsion of the catalytic motors through the fuel solution. The detection limit of Cu2+ in the aqueous environment was found to be less than the permissible limit suggested by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Government of India. Experiments were also conducted to demonstrate the generic applicability of motor-based detection of different enzyme inhibitors (in the micromolar concentration range), such as a flavonoid (hydroquinone) and an aromatic dipeptide (diphenylamine). Finally, it was demonstrated that the catalytic NP-coated polymer motors could also be used effectively to detect industrial effluents using samples containing different compounds that acted as enzyme inhibitors. A simple model connecting the enzyme inhibition and motor propulsion speed is presented to explain the experimental observations.

Investigation of adsorption and biosorption features of bio-functionalized poly(GMA-Co-EGDMA) polymer beads in the treatment of nicotine from tobacco industry

The investigation of multifunctional materials for modern enzyme immobilization is an attractive subject in advanced adsorption and biosorption applications. In the present study, the feasibility of immobilization of Lipozyme TL 100L (LPZM) on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modified poly-(GMA-co-EGDMA) (PEGDMA) was investigated for adsorption and biosorption of nicotine from aqueous solution. Characterization tests confirmed successful immobilization of lipozyme which significantly altered thermal behavior, surface characteristics, and surface morphology of PEGDMA and PEGDMA/APTES. In addition, the immobilization yields were calculated as 85.0% and 72.0% onto PEGDMA/APTES using physical adsorption and covalent immobilization methods, respectively. The nicotine removal efficiencies were calculated to be 66.4%, 79.0%, 98.9%, and 85.7%, using raw PEGDMA, PEGDMA/APTES, PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM, and PEGDMA/APTES/GU@LPZM, respectively. For the raw PEGDMA, the Langmuir isotherm was best fitted to the adsorption data, while Langmuir-Freundich model described well the adsorption process on PEGDMA/APTES and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM. The maximum adsorption capacities of Langmuir-Freundlich model increased from 8.118 to 17.32mg/g after enzyme immobilization. The negative enthalpy value, ΔH° (- 10.37kJ/mol), revealed that the nicotine adsorption on PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM was exothermic in nature, which was corroborated by the decrease observed in the number of adsorbed molecules with increasing temperature. In the kinetic experiments, the adsorption on PEGDMA and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM reached equilibrium with the removal percentages as 66.4% and 98.9% at the end of 3h, respectively. The nicotine adsorption performances in real water matrices were also investigated, and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM showed satisfactory reusability with removal percentage decreased from 98.9% (1st cycle) to 83.0% (6th cycle).

High brightness red emitting polymer beads for immunoassays: Comparison between trifluoroacetylacetonates of Europium.

Efficiently luminescing spherical polymer particles (beads) in the nanoscale regime of up to approximately 250nm have become very valuable tools in bioanalytical assays. Eu3+- complexes imbedded in polymethacrylate and polystyrene in particular proved to be extraordinarily useful in sensitive immunochemical and multi-analyte assays, and histo- and cytochemistry. Their obvious advantages derive from both, the possibility to realize very high ratios of emitter complexes to target molecules, and the intrinsically long decay times of the Eu3+-complexes, which allows an almost complete discrimination against bothersome autofluorescence via time-gated measuring techniques; the narrow line emission in conjunction with large apparent Stokes shifts are additional benefits with regard to spectral separation of excitation and emission with optical filters. Last but not least, a reasonable strategy to couple the beads to the analytes is mandatory. We have thus screened a variety of complexes and ancillary ligands; the four most promising candidates evaluated and compared to each other were β-diketonates (trifluoroacetylacetonates, R-CO-CH-CO-CF3, R = - thienyl, -phenyl, -naphthyl and -phenanthryl); highest solubilities in polystyrene were obtained with trioctylphosphine co-ligands. All beads had overall quantum yields in excess of 80% as dried powders and lifetimes well beyond 600µs. Core-shell particles were devised for the conjugation to model proteins (Avidine, Neutravidine). Their applicability was tested in biotinylated titer plates using time gated measurements and a Lateral Flow Assay as practical examples.

A new elastic abrasive jet machining method for post–treatment of tool coatings: A case study on TiAlN coated tools for titanium machining

This paper investigates the effect of post–treatment by a newly–developed elastic abrasive jet machining (EAJM) method on the TiAlN coated tools. It employs the self–developed multi–element polymer beads as abrasives in air jet machining. The results indicate that post–treatment with EAJM can prominently improve the coating properties. Additionally, the wear resistance is improved as the tool wear is reduced up to 19%. While the wear resistance can be improved with increasing EAJM parameters, it can be diminished if the EAJM parameters exceed a proper range. Statistical analysis shows that the effect of EAJM on tool performance depends on the product of jetting time and pressure. The proper selection should range from 0.56 × 104 kPa·s to 2.96 × 104 kPa·s.

Dual-functional fluorescent metal-organic framework based beads for visual detection and removal of oxytetracycline in real aqueous solution

The development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based materials with specific structures and functions has important significance and application value in energy, environment, and material science. Herein, we developed a novel zinc-based MOF with 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (CBC) as ligand, Zn-CBC, which exhibited large surface area, porous structure, and blue fluorescence. The material was demonstrated for simultaneous visual detection and removal of oxytetracycline (OTC) as a dual-functional platform. With the introducing of OTC that can be adsorbed by the surface group of Zn-CBC, the fluorescence emission intensity centered at 472 nm was significantly decreased attributed to the internal filtering effect (IFE) between OTC and Zn-CBC. In addition, due to the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of OTC in the porous structure of Zn-CBC, a new fluorescence emission maximum at 540 nm appeared, which constructed a blue to yellow-green ratiometric fluorescence system. Combing the optical and adsorption properties of Zn-CBC, we innovatively prepared Zn-CBC MOF-alginate-Ca2+-polyacrylic acid polymer beads (MACPs) for sensing and removing of OTC in real water samples, which showed wide applicability in practical applications.

Porphyrin-Modified Beads for Use as Compensation Controls in Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry can rapidly characterize and quantify diverse cell populations based on fluorescence measurements. The cells are first stained with one or more fluorescent reagents, each functionalized with a different fluorescent molecule (fluorophore) that binds to cells selectively based on their phenotypic characteristics, such as cell surface antigen expression. The intensity of fluorescence from each reagent bound to cells can be measured on the flow cytometer using channels that detect a specified range of wavelengths. When multiple fluorophores are used, the light from individual fluorophores often spills over into undesired detection channels, which requires a correction to the fluorescence intensity data in a process called compensation. Compensation control particles, typically polymer beads bound to a single fluorophore, are needed for each fluorophore used in a cell labeling experiment. Data from compensation particles from the flow cytometer are used to apply a correction to the fluorescence intensity measurements. This protocol describes the preparation and purification of polystyrene compensation beads covalently functionalized with the fluorescent reagent meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphine (TCPP) and their application in flow cytometry compensation. In this work, amine-functionalized polystyrene beads were treated with TCPP and the amide coupling reagent EDC (N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride) at pH 6 and at room temperature for 16 h with agitation. The TCPP beads were isolated by centrifugation and resuspended in a pH 7 buffer for storage. TCPP-related particulates were observed as a byproduct. The number of these particulates could be reduced using an optional filtration protocol. The resultant TCPP beads were successfully used on a flow cytometer for compensation in experiments with human sputum cells labeled with multiple fluorophores. The TCPP beads proved stable following storage in a refrigerator for 300 days.

Uniform Gold Nanoclusters Supported on Mesoporous Polymer Beads Decorated with Polyaminophosphine Patches for the Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

In the jigsaw puzzle of quality gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), those protected by weak ligands or coligands are still rarely available. Here, we provide an example in the case of supported AuNCs. Branched polyethylenimine (PEI, diameter of 1.86 nm) is introduced as discrete molecular patches onto the support of mesoporous polymer beads. Each patch is derived into polyaminophosphine with 2-(diphenylphosphino) benzaldehyde (dppb). The molecular patch is of nanoscale and uniform size. The polymer beads after PEI loading bear unimodal pores (3.9 nm), and the specific surface area is of 390 m2 g–1. AuNCs are obtained by mildly heating the mixture of the functionalized beads and aqueous chloroauric acids. Uniform AuNCs with a diameter of 1.2 ± 0.2 nm (∼53 Au atoms) are obtained when each PEI patch bears 17 dppb ligands, smaller than that of 3.5 nm in the absence of any dppb, suggesting that dppb enhances the nucleation of AuNCs. The heteroleptic AuNCs show ultrahigh catalytic performance (TOF = 391 h–1) for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, where the dppb ligands hardly suppress the catalytic activity. The catalyst is well recoverable and durable for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Evaluation of Hyperthermic Potential and Acute Toxicity of PLGA‐PEG/Magnetite Microspheres Loaded with Oxaliplatin Using Mice as a Test System

AbstractOxaliplatin and modified magnetic nanoparticles (magnetite‐lysine) are inserted into microspheres of previously synthesized poly(lactic acid‐co‐glycolic acid‐b‐ethylene glycol) PLGA‐PEG to evaluate the in vitro hyperthermal potential and the acute toxicity in mice. The used nanoparticles are synthesized by the coprecipitation method, using Fe II and Fe III, and modification with lysine is performed during the synthesis. The drug and the magnetic nanoparticles are inserted into the polymer beads through oil in water (O/W) emulsion. The obtained composites are then characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X‐ray Diffraction (XRD), and submitted to magnetic hyperthermia and acute toxicity tests. The hyperthermia tests are conducted according to an experimental design. The magnetite‐lysine nanoparticles reached the temperature for the desired application and are able to raise the temperature by 6 °C at the higher investigated current, time, and concentration conditions. According to the proposed statistical study, only the test time exerted significant positive influence on the observed temperature increase, although synergies between time and concentration and between current and concentration are also significant. In vivo acute toxicity tests are also conducted with swiss mice and revealed that the prepared materials and procedures can be regarded as safe and of low toxicity.

Photoactivatable Fluorophores for Bioimaging Applications.

Photoactivatable fluorophores provide the opportunity to switch fluorescence on exclusively in a selected area within a sample of interest at a precise interval of time. Such a level of spatiotemporal fluorescence control enables the implementation of imaging schemes to monitor dynamic events in real time and visualize structural features with nanometer resolution. These transformative imaging methods are contributing fundamental insights on diverse cellular processes with profound implications in biology and medicine. Current photoactivatable fluorophores, however, become emissive only after the activation event, preventing the acquisition of fluorescence images and, hence, the visualization of the sample prior to activation. We developed a family of photoactivatable fluorophores capable of interconverting between emissive states with spectrally resolved fluorescence, instead of switching from a nonemissive state to an emissive one. We demonstrated that our compounds allow the real-time monitoring of molecules diffusing across the cellular blastoderm of developing embryos as well as of polymer beads translocating along the intestinal tract of live nematodes. Additionally, they also permit the tracking of single molecules in the lysosomal compartments of live cells and the visualization of these organelles with nanometer resolution. Indeed, our photoactivatable fluorophores may evolve into invaluable analytical tools for the investigation of the fundamental factors regulating the functions and structures of cells at the molecular level.

Synthesis of PEI functionalized silica microsphere loaded polymeric network for simultaneous removal of Cr (III) & Cr (VI) from aquatic medium

Current study presents a simple method for facile synthesis of Polyethylenimine (PEI) functionalized silica microsphere loaded polymeric hydrogel (PEI-SiO2MS-Ca-ALG) beads. Synthesis of SiO2MS involved two steps: synthesis of polystyrene (PS) core by sol-gel technique and growth of silica shell over PS particles using hydrolysis and condensation followed by subsequent removal of the PS core. These SiO2MS was functionalised with PEI followed by its loading into alginate matrix to form the PEI-SiO2MS-Ca-ALG nanohybrid beads. The developed products were characterized by FTIR, BET, DLA, SEM-EDS and zeta potential measurement. The PEI-SiO2MS-Ca-ALG polymeric hydrogel beads were used for efficient removal of both chromium (III) and chromium (VI) from groundwater (70–100% for concentration range of 0.1–100 µg mL−1) at pH 2–3. Sorption capacities of these beads for Cr(III) & Cr(VI) were 85.4 and 57.2 mgg−1 respectively as evaluated from Langmuir model for dry beads. Kinetics, thermodynamics, diffusion, isotherm studies were carried out for both Cr(III) & Cr(VI) uptake on the PEI-SiO2MS-Ca-ALG hydrogel beads. In-situ Cr(VI) to Cr(III) transformation by PEI before sorption of Cr(III) was investigated and explained by XPS analysis. Mechanism of Cr(III) & Cr(VI) uptake by beads was proposed based on fraction diagram, FTIR along with other experimental observations.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Dichloride (5,10,15,20-Tetraphenylporphyrinato) Antimony Functionalized Pectin Biopolymer to Methylene Blue Adsorption.

In this work, pectin biopolymers were functionalized with dichloride (5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato) antimony [Sb(TPP)Cl2] at various compositions (0.5%, 1%, and 2%). The prepared compounds were characterized with several analytical methods, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EIS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric-differential thermal (TGA/DTG) analysis. The XRF technique evidenced the presence of Sb metal in the composite beads. FT-IR suggested that the interaction between pectin and the [Sb(TPP)Cl2] complex was assured by inter- and intramolecular C-H⋯O, C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds and weak C-H⋯Cg π interactions (Cg is the centroid of the pyrrole and phenyl rings). The morphological features of the prepared polymeric beads were affected by the addition of [Sb(TPP)Cl2] particles, and the surface became rough. The thermal residual mass for the composite beads (29%) was more important than that of plain beads (23%), which confirmed the presence of inorganic matter in the modified polymeric beads. At 20 °C, the highest adsorption amounts of methylene blue were 39 mg/g and 68 mg/g for unmodified pectin and pectin-[Sb(TPP)Cl2] beads, respectively. The adsorption mechanism correlated well with the kinetic equation of the second order and the isotherm of Freundlich. The prepared polymeric beads were characterized as moderate-to-good adsorbents. The calculated thermodynamic parameters demonstrated an exothermic and thermodynamically nonspontaneous mechanism.

Method for measuring magnetic susceptibility of magnetic nanoparticles up to millimeter-wave frequency range

A novel method for measuring the complex magnetic susceptibility of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been developed by a broadband microstrip line-type probe with a frequency range of up to 50 GHz. Two external orthogonal DC fields, Hhard and Heasy, were applied to change the susceptibility of MNPs (Streptavidin coated, 200 nmϕ, number of MNPs about 1010) based on magnetization switching theory. The susceptibility of MNPs in the liquid, solid state, and after biotin-avidin reaction with polymer beads (2 μmϕ, number of polymer beads about 108) was evaluated. A clear FMR frequency of MNPs and the same FMR frequency shift trend as Hhard changed was observed around 2–10 GHz in both liquid and solid states. The susceptibility of MNPs reached maximum when Hhard was 0.1 T which is approximately equal to Heasy (0.135 T). The maximum values of real and imaginary parts increased by a factor of 3.39 and 1.66 compared to when Hhard was 0. The obtained results indicate that the magnetic anisotropy was successfully controlled in the liquid and solid states of MNPs aggregate. Furthermore, after the biotin-avidin reaction of MNPs with polymer beads, the imaginary part of susceptibility showed a decreasing trend regardless of the increase in Hhard, and its half-width expanded by 35.1% at maximum when Hhard was 0.15 T.

Predicting coarse-grained chromatin polymer properties from nucleosome-level contact data.

Making coarse-grained chromatin models is essential to interpret experimental data and to simulate and predict chromatin organization/dynamics. It is common to model chromatin as a bead spring chain, with each bead representing lengths 1kb, 10kb, or 100kb of the genome. However, we do not know the physical dimensions (radius) of these beads and the properties (stretching elasticity, bending elasticity, etc.) of the chain. To bridge this gap, we simulated a large ensemble of chromatin configurations at near-nucleosome (200bp) resolution, consistent with recently published Micro-C data. We then systematically coarse-grained the configurations and predicted quantities essential for chromatin polymer representation. We predict the size (physical dimension) of chromatin beads for a range of scales from 1kb to 100s of kb and compute various polymer properties such as stretching elasticity, bending fluctuations, and intrinsic angle among polymer beads. Unlike the prevalent notion, we show that coarse-grained chromatin polymer beads should be considered as soft particles that can overlap, and we propose an overlap parameter. We show that accounting for such overlap is necessary to predict 3D distances from simulations accurately. Our results also show how chromatin polymer properties vary along the genome depending on the local chromatin state.

Intestinal Obstruction Due to Super Absorbent Polymer Bead Ingestion in Children.

Ingested foreign bodies (Fb) in children usually pass out in stools without any sequels. However, Fbs like open safety pins, button batteries, and super absorbent polymer (SAP) / jelly toys are associated with complications such as intestinal obstruction, and bowel perforation. Intestinal obstruction in children of uncertain nature should raise a suspicion of foreign body ingestion such as SAP, which may not be obvious at the initial presentation. The studyreports two such children, outlining the presentation and management. Key Words: Children, Intestinal obstruction, Foreign body, Health hazard, Bilious vomit, Super absorbent polymer beads.

Geometric-phase metalens to be used for tunable optical tweezers in microfluidics

ABSTRACTGeometric-phase dielectric meta-lenses made of silicon with high numerical aperture and short focal lengths are fabricated and characterised. For circularly polarised light, the same meta-lens can act as a converging or diverging lens, depending on the handedness of the circular polarisation. This effect enables application for optical tweezers that trap or release µm-size polymer beads floating in a microfluidic channel on demand. An electrically addressable polarisation converter based on liquid crystals may be used to switch between the two states of polarisation, at which the light transmitted through the meta-lens is focused (trapping) or defocussed (releasing), respectively.

Beads for Cell Immobilization: Comparison of Alternative Additive Manufacturing Techniques.

The attachment or entrapment of microbial cells and enzymes are promising solutions for various industrial applications. When the traps are beads, they are dispersed in a fluidized bed in a vessel where a pump guarantees fresh liquid inflow and waste outflow without washing out the cells. Scientific papers report numerous types of cell entrapment, but most of their applications remain at the laboratory level. In the present research, rigid polymer beads were manufactured by two different additive manufacturing (AM) techniques in order to verify the economy, reusability, and stability of the traps, with a view toward a straightforward industrial application. The proposed solutions allowed for overcoming some of the drawbacks of traditional manufacturing solutions, such as the limited mechanical stability of gel traps, and they guaranteed the possibility of producing parts of constant quality with purposely designed exchange surfaces, which are unfeasible when using conventional processes. AM proved to be a viable manufacturing solution for beads with complex shapes of two different size ranges. A deep insight into the production and characteristics of beads manufactured by AM is provided. The paper provides biotechnologists with a manufacturing perspective, and the results can be directly applied to transit from the laboratory to the industrial scale.

Simultaneous determination of zearalenone and alternariol mycotoxins in oil samples using mixed molecularly imprinted polymer beads

This work reports the optimization of a method using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for the simultaneous determination of zearalenone and alternariol mycotoxins. The method was optimized using a chemometric approach where in the optimized conditions, the cartridges with a mixture (50:50, w/w) of both MIPs, were loaded with 30 mL of sample, washed with 2 mL of ACN/water (20/80, v/v) and eluted with 2.5 mL of trifluoroacetic acid/MeOH (3/97, v/v). The extracts were analyzed by HPLC coupled to a fluorescence detector (FLD). The optimized method has been applied and validated to the analysis of the mycotoxins in maize, sunflower and olive oils samples with a limit of detection of 5 and 2 µg kg−1, respectively. Recoveries were in the range of 94 % to 108 % (RSD < 6 %) for zearalenone and 92 % to 113 % (RSD < 5 %) for alternariol. The results were confirmed by HPLC-MS/MS.