Abstract
ABSTRACT An adsorbent material specifically designed to capture bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was successfully prepared by molecular imprinting technology. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was fabricated using methacrylic acid as a functional monomer and was crosslinked by ethylene glycol dimethacrylate via a bulk polymerisation method. The corresponding nonimprinted polymer (NIP) was synthesised as a control sample. The polymers were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and porosity analysis by N2 adsorption–desorption. The binding performances of the MIP and NIP were evaluated through rebinding of DEHP in prepared solutions. The experiment was conducted by quantifying the amount of unbound template via the kinetic spectrophotometric method performed with a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The effects of the initial concentration of the template and the adsorption time were revealed through an adsorption isotherm study. The obtained MIP showed a greater efficiency towards the removal of DEHP from solution (92%) than the NIP (34%). Therefore, the MIP exhibited preferential adsorption of DEHP molecules. The adsorption isotherm experiments showed good linearity and higher correlation coefficients for the Freundlich isotherm model than for the Langmuir model, and the pseudo-second-order equation provided the best fit describing the kinetic sorption behaviour of the polymers. Under optimised conditions, the MIP exhibited high selectivity towards DEHP over a competitive molecule; in addition, good recovery was achieved, resulting in a high distribution coefficient.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.