Current practices for describing the performance of molecularly imprinted polymers can be misleading and may be hampering the development of the field

A contributing factor to the labored advance of molecularly imprinting as a viable commercial solution to molecular recognition needs is the absence of a standard and robust method for assessing and reporting on molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) performance. The diversity and at times inappropriateness of MIP performance indicators means that the usefulness of the literature back-catalogue, for predicting, elucidating or understanding patterns in MIP efficacy, remains largely inaccessible. We hereby put forward the case that the simple binding isotherm is the most versatile and useful method of assessing and reporting MIP function, allowing direct comparison between polymers prepared and evaluated in different studies. In this study we describe how to correctly plot and interpret a bound / free isotherm and show how such plots can be readily used to predict outcomes, retro-analyze data and optimize experimental design. We propose that by adopting the use of correctly constructed isotherms as the primary form of data representation researchers will enable inter-laboratory comparisons, promote good experimental design and encourage a greater collective understanding of molecular imprinting. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.