Fabrication and characterization of molecularly imprinted polymer for Hg(II) ion

Abstract

A molecular imprinted polymer for Hg(II) has been fabricated using free radical polymerization method. The selectivity and binding capability of the fabricated molecular imprinted polymer towards Hg(II) ions in aqueous environment has been carried out. Molecular imprinted polymer was prepared using mercury(II) nitrate dihydrate as the template molecule and vinylcarbazole as the functional monomer. Free template polymer was then used in metal uptake study at different pH, timing and equilibrium concentration. The molecular imprinted polymer shows highest adsorption at pH 6 for 135 min at 40 ppm Hg2+solution. The kinetic order of the adsorption is second order with equilibrium rate constant 9.0 × 10-4min ppm-1. The adsorption obeys the Langmuir isotherm with maximum adsorption of 10.13 mg g-1and Langmuir constant 0.032 gm g-1. In selectivity study, the distribution coefficient of Hg2+is much higher than Cd2+and Zn2+that is 10443.31, 73.74 and 28.66, respectively.