In order to selectively separate luteolin from its crude solution, we synthesized luteolin molecular imprinted polymers (LMIP) with high recognition specificity for luteolin, using an imprinting technique. Luteolin was used as template, methanol as solvent, and N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) as the cross-linking. Then prepared LMIP were characterized and evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and equilibrium absorption experiments. The results showed that the cavities matching with the template molecules in size and structure were present in the LMIP. Adsorption dynamics analysis suggested that, when the adsorption time reached 4 h, the adsorption process had reached balance and the adsorption capacity was at steady state. The selective adsorption amount reached at 35.65 umol/g for the LMIP, while a lower value of 11.68 umol/g for the blank polymer (i.e. nontemplated). Relative to the corresponding blank polymer, LMIP had an excellent recognition to luteolin in methanol solution. Keywords: Molecular imprinting, Molecular recognition, Adsorbent, Luteolin
