Synthesis and Characterization of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Membrane for Selective Adsorption of 2-Phenylphenol from Aqueous Systems

Abstract

Modern agriculture increasingly relies on synthetic and natural fungicides, which can accumulate in environmental compartments, particularly soil and water. These residues and their degradation products are now recognized globally as significant contaminants, posing risks to aquatic organisms, terrestrial life, and human health depending on their concentration and chemical nature. Among emerging technologies for pollutant removal, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have gained attention due to their high selectivity, cost-effectiveness, ease of preparation, and large adsorption capacity. MIPs function as artificial receptors with strong affinity for specific target molecules. In this study, 2-phenylphenol (2-PP), a widely used fungicide, was selected as the target compound. MIPs were synthesized via precipitation polymerization in acetonitrile using 2-PP as the template, styrene as the functional monomer, divinyl benzene as the cross-linker, and azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator. The prepared MIP particles were incorporated into polystyrene to fabricate a molecularly imprinted membrane (MIM). Characterization of the membrane was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The adsorption performance of the MIM was evaluated by studying kinetics, pH effects, and selectivity. Maximum adsorption was observed at pH 5 for MIM and pH 7 for non-imprinted membranes (NIP). Optimal contact time was 150 minutes, and the most effective adsorbent dose was 100 mg. The developed MIM demonstrated efficient removal of 2-PP from aqueous samples, indicating its potential application in water purification.