Cholesterol removal from various samples by cholesterol-imprinted monosize microsphere-embedded cryogels

Cholesterol-imprinted monosize poly(glycidyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(L)-tyrosine methylester) microspheres were embedded into the poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) cryogels and the resulting composite cryogel was used for the selective removal of cholesterol. Composite cryogels were characterized by swelling tests, multipoint BET apparatus, SEM, FTIR and elemental analysis studies. Specific surface area of the PHEMA cryogel was increased from 13 to 72.7 m(2)/g by embedding of microspheres. Composite cryogels removed 80% of cholesterol from homogenized milk. The maximum adsorption capacity was found as 42.7 mg/g for intestinal mimicking solution. After 20 adsorption -desorption cycles, there was no remarkable decrease in the adsorption capacity.