Abstract: The aim of this study is to prepare ion-imprinted polymers that can be used for the selective removal of aluminum ions [Al3+] from aqueous solutions. N-Methacryloyl-L-glutamic acid (MAGA) was chosen as the complexing monomer. In the first step, Al3+ was complexed with MAGA and Al3+-imprinted poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-L-glutamic acid) (MIP) beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization. After that, the template ions (i.e., Al3+) were removed using 0.1 M EDTA solution. The specific surface area of the MIP beads was found to be 55.6 m2/g with a size range of 63-140 μm in diameter, and the swelling ratio was 102%. According to the elemental analysis results, the MIP beads contained 640 μmol of MAGA/g of polymer. The maximum adsorption capacity was 122.9 mol of Al3+/g of beads. The applicability of two kinetic models including pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models was estimated on the basis of comparative analysis of the corresponding rate parameters, equilibrium capacity, and correlation coefficients. Results suggest that chemisorption processes could be the rate-limiting step in the adsorption process. The relative selectivity coefficients of MIP beads for Al3+/Ni2+, Al3+/Cu2+, and Al3+/Fe3+ were respectively 1427, 14.8, and 6.2 times greater than that of the nonimprinted matrix. The MIP beads could be used many times without significantly decreasing in their adsorption capacities.
Template and target information: aluminium ion, Al(III)

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