title: Removal of estrogenic pollutants from contaminated water using molecularly imprinted polymers.
abstract: A synthetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sorbent for estrogenic compounds was prepared using a noncovalent imprinting technique. MIP microspheres sized from 1 to 2 microm were synthesized in acetonitrile by using alpha-estradiol as the template, acrylamide as the functional monomer, and trimethylpropanol trimethacrylate as the cross-linker. When compared with the nonimprinted polymer (NIP), the MIP showed outstanding affinity toward alpha-estradiol in aqueous solution with a binding site capacity (B(max)) of 380 nmol mg(-1) MIP, imprinting effect of 35, and a dissociation constant (Kd) of 38 microM. The MIP exhibited significant binding affinity toward other related estrogenic compounds such as beta-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, estriol, and estrone, suggesting that this material may be appropriate for treating a complex mixture of estrogenic pollutants. The feasibility of removing estrogenic compounds from environmental water by the MIP was demonstrated using lake water spiked with alpha-estradiol. In addition, the MIP reusability without any deterioration in performance was demonstrated for at least five repeated cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Zihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Wilfred
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mulchandani
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000235:genetics; D004967:Estrogens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011108:Polymers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004958:Estradiol