Surface-imprinted polymer microsphere based on self-stabilized precipitation polymerization for selective removal of norfloxacin

Norfloxacin-imprinted SMIP microspheres (PMS@MIPs) were designed and synthesized, which can serve as selective adsorbent featured with short adsorption equilibrium time of 60 min, and maximum adsorption capacity of 149.3 mg/g. • Glycidyl methacrylate-functionalized polymer microspheres (PMS-GMA) were synthesized. • NOR-imprinted SMIP microspheres (PMS@MIPs) synthesized using PMS-GMA as matrix. • PMS@MIPs show high selectivity and adsorption capacity for NOR. • Adsorption equilibrium reached within 60 min, and q max is as high as 149.3 mg/g. • After 4 adsorption-desorption cycles, adsorption capacity of PMS@MIPs decreased 6.9%. Surface molecularly imprinted polymers (SMIPs) are effective adsorbents for the separation and removal of antibiotics owing to their specific selectivity and high efficiency. Herein, a novel kind of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-functionalized poly(maleic anhydride- alt -styrene) (PMS) particles (PMS-GMA) are facilely prepared via self-stabilized precipitation polymerization, which can serve as an ideal support matrix for the scalable preparation of SMIPs. Methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were copolymerized in the presence of norfloxacin (NOR) template and PMS-GMA carrier to obtain NOR-imprinted SMIPs (PMS@MIPs). Due to the presence of NOR-imprinted layer, the resultant PMS@MIPs can effectively and selectively adsorb NOR, featured with high sorption capacity in short equilibrium time (149.3 mg/g in 60 min). The adsorption behavior of NOR by PMS@MIPs fitted better to pseudo-second-order and Freundlich model. More importantly, PMS@MIPs showed high selectivity for NOR over enrofloxacin and levofloxacin with similar chemical structure, and another commonly used antibiotics sulfonamides. Furthermore, PMS@MIPs exhibited excellent reusability, the NOR molecules can be facilely desorbed under acidic condition and the adsorption capacity of the recycled PMS@MIPs only reduced by 6.9% after four adsorption-desorption process, indicating great potential for selective adsorption of NOR.