This work describes fabrication steps of the carbon composite based on molecular imprinted poly(methacrylic acid) (MIP-CC) as a new adsorbent for the selective removal of fenpiroxymate pesticide (Fen). The prepared composite was characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), zeta sizer and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) techniques. The influence of operational parameters such as solution pH, contact time, amount MIP for preparation of carbon composite and amount MIP- CC toward removal of Fen have been evaluated and optimized via central composite design (CCD) as an optimization tool of response surface method. The optimum removal (87%) was achieved at pH 6.5, 1.53 g/L carbon composite prepared with 3.4 wt % MIP at 70 min. The maximum adsorption of Fen by the fabricated MIP-CC was 254 mg/g. Compared with the corresponding non-imprinted polymer (NIP-CC), the MIP-CC exhibited higher adsorption capacity and outstanding selectivity toward Fen. Langmuir isotherm best fitted the adsorption equilibrium data of MIP-CC and the kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model. The calculated thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption of Fen pesticide was spontaneous and exothermic under the studied conditions.
Keywords: Pesticide; carbon composites; molecularly imprinted polymer; selective removal.