Abstract: Abstract: A new Hg(II)-imprinted thiol-functionalized silica gel sorbent was synthesized by a surface imprinting technique for selective solid-phase extraction of Hg(II). Compared to a non-imprinted sorbent, the ion-imprinted functionalized sorbent had higher selectivity and adsorption capacity for Hg(II). The maximum static adsorption capacity of the ion-imprinted and non-imprinted sorbents for Hg(II) was 0.46 and 0.22 mmol g?1, respectively. The highest selectivity coefficient of the Hg(II)-imprinted sorbent for Hg(II) in the presence of Cd(II) and Cu(II) was over 500. The largest relative selectivity coefficient (k?) of the ion-imprinted sorbent between Hg(II) and Cu(II) was over 50, and between Hg(II) and Cd(II) over 100. Furthermore, the imprinted sorbent possessed fast kinetics for the removal of Hg(II) from aqueous solution with a saturation time of less than 10 min, and could be used repeatedly. The method was applied to the determination of trace Hg(II) in real water samples with satisfactory results
Template and target information: mercury ion, Hg(II)
Author keywords: ionic imprinting, Thiol-functionalized, selective separation, mercury