Molecularly imprinted nylon membrane with high hydrophilicity and antifouling properties for efficient separation of sulfonamides

Sulfonamides (SAs) represent a type of wide-spectrum antibiotics, effective in preventing and treating bacterial infections. Nevertheless, excessive SAs usage poses risks to human health and environmental safety. In this investigation, we developed a novel molecular imprinted membrane (MIPs@UiO-66@Nylon) characterized by hydrophilicity and antifouling properties. UiO-66-NH2 was grown in situ on nylon membrane to augment the specific surface area and enhance the adsorption capabilities. Tannic acid (TA), an eco-friendly compound, was incorporated to increase adsorption sites on the nylon membrane. Molecular imprinting was introduced to enhance membrane selectivity, enabling specific separation of SAs. The resulting MIPs@UiO-66@Nylon demonstrated high hydrophilicity, indicated by a hydrophilic angle of 33.7°. Furthermore, the imprinting factors (IF) ranged from 2.34 to 2.98, facilitating effective SAs separation. The recovery rate ranged between 83.2% and 98.4%, with a standard deviation (RSD) of 0.4% to 2.3%. Following ten cycles of adsorption and desorption, the adsorption loss remained below 4.65%. This innovation in MIPs@UiO-66@Nylon offers a promising avenue for SAs detection, with potential applications in human health and environmental preservation.