Studies on sorption of bifenthrin and diazinon insecticides on molecularly imprinted polymers

Abstract

Synthesis and characterization of polymeric matrices for molecular recognition of pesticides are presented. For their preparation, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross‐linking agent were used. As template molecules, diazinon and bifenthrin were applied. Syntheses were carried out in the presence of different porogens. Chemical structures were studied using FTIR‐ATR, elemental analysis, and alkacymetric titration, morphology by laser diffraction particle size analyzer and by particle size, and shape analyzer based on image analysis, whereas porous structure by nitrogen adsorption/desorption method. To study selectivity of the sorbent toward template molecule, breakthrough volumes and sorption kinetics for molecularly imprinted polymers and nonimprinted analogues were determined. Particle sizes of the studied sorbents (expressed as CE diameter) were in the range 40 to 44 μm (except sorbent obtained in the presence of hexane). The chemical composition of all obtained sorbents was close to theoretical one (60.13% C, 7.11% H, 32.77% O). The values of specific surface area of the sorbents were in the range 2 to 338 m2/g.