Abstract: In this study, imprinted polymers based on copper imprinted poly(allylthiourea) synthesized in acetonitrile (ACN) (Cu2+)-IIP(ACN) or ethanol (EtOH) (Cu2+)-IIP(EtOH) and the effect of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surface of polymers towards simultaneous preconcentration of Cu2+ and macromolecule exclusion was assessed. Characterization of polymers was carried out by means of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), textural data [surface area (SBET), total pore volume (VT) and average pore diameter (Dp)], swelling analysis, wettability measurement and determination of point zero charge (PZC). It was noticed that (Cu2+)-IIP(ACN) showed higher porosity than the one (Cu2+)-IIP(EtOH). From the competitive sorption, relative selectivity coefficient (k') higher than one unit was obtained by comparing (Cu2+)-IIP(ACN) with non-imprinted polymer [NIP(ACN)] over a range of foreign metal ions with same charge and similar ionic radius, thus confirming the imprinting effect created during polymer synthesis. It was also found that the hydrophilic co-monomer (HEMA) as well as the larger molecule BSA coating on (Cu2+)-IIP(ACN) decreases accentually the selectivity of sorbent. On the other hand, the sorbent (Cu2+)-IIP-HEMA-BSA(ACN) demonstrated great capability in promoting simultaneously the sorption of Cu2+ and exclusion of BSA in solution at pH 4.50, thus showing potential application perspectives for the development of matrix interference-free enrichment method towards Cu2+ determination in complicated matrices, such as biological fluids and food samples without implementing common sample treatments based on acid digestion
Author keywords: copper, IIP-RAM, hydrophilic co-monomer, Restricted access material, characterization, Flame atomic absorption spectrometry