Synthesis and characterization of methacrylamide--based molecularly imprinted polymers for detection of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

Based on methacrylamide (MAM) and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as a cross- linking agent, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were obtained by precipitation polymerization and used for the detection of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in drinking water in plastic packaging. The presence of functional groups –NH, –CH, –C=O, –C=C and –CO was confirmed by FT-IR. The for- mation of MIP_DEHP was also confirmed by EDS. Moreover, SAA analysis showed their mesoporous structure. The adsorption capacity was consistent with the isothermal Freundlich adsorption model, and the adsorption kinetics models with a pseudo-second-order reaction. Small, uniform, porous grains were observed in the MIP structure (SEM). Keywords: polymer, phthalates, DEHP, methacrylamides, TRIM.