Synthesis And Characterization Of Pyrogallol-Imprinted Poly(Methacrylic Acid) Via Precipitation Polymerization

Abstract

An innovative approach for the selective recovery of pyrogallol by means of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed. Pyrogallol has been reported to be found in natural herb plants such as Kacip Fatimah (Labisia pumila) and harmful to human when it is consumed beyond the permissible amount. In this study, pyrogallol-imprinted polymer (PIP) and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were synthesized via precipitation polymerization on methacrylic acid (MAA) with divinylbenzene (DVB) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) cross-linker and initiator, respectively. The synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Studies on adsorption isotherm were carried out by using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Results showed that NIP and PIP follows Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. In order to analyze the sorption kinetics of NIP and PIP, two kinetic models were applied; pseudo-first and pseudo-second order. Samples of NIP and PIP were found to follow pseudo-second order, indicating the rate-limiting step is the surface adsorption.