Application of molecularly imprinted polymers to selective removal of clofibric acid from water

Chaomeng Dai; Juan Zhang; Yalei Zhang; Xuefei Zhou; Shuguang Liu

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0078167

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers to selective removal of clofibric acid from water

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 31;8(10):e78167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078167. eCollection 2013.

Authors

Chaomeng Dai¹, Juan Zhang, Yalei Zhang, Xuefei Zhou, Shuguang Liu

Affiliation

¹ College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China ; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

A new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) adsorbent for clofibric acid (CA) was prepared by a non-covalent protocol. Characterization of the obtained MIP was achieved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen sorption. Sorption experimental results showed that the MIP had excellent binding affinity for CA and the adsorption of CA by MIP was well described by pseudo-second-order model. Scatchard plot analysis revealed that two classes of binding sites were formed in the MIP with dissociation constants of 7.52 ± 0.46 mg L(-1) and 114 ± 4.2 mg L(-1), respectively. The selectivity of MIP demonstrated higher affinity for CA over competitive compound than that of non-imprinted polymers (NIP). The MIP synthesized was used to remove CA from spiked surface water and exhibited significant binding affinity towards CA in the presence of total dissolved solids (TDS). In addition, MIP reusability was demonstrated for at least 12 repeated cycles without significant loss in performance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Clofibric Acid / chemistry*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Polymers / chemistry*
Water / chemistry*
Water Purification / methods

Substances

Polymers
Water
Clofibric Acid

Grants and funding

This study was financed by the Natural Science Foundation of China (41101480, 358 41070641), State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse Foundation (PCRRY11015), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project (20110490698, 2013M531217) and Shanghai Postdoctoral Scientific Program (13R21416000). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.