A novel green molecularly imprinted polymers synthesized in an aqueous medium as S-metolachlor sensitive materials

A new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensitive and selective for S-metolachlor herbicide was synthesized by bulk polymerization with the use of N-isopropylacrylamide, acrylamide, and acrylic acid as functional monomers, and N,N'- methylenebis(acrylamide) as a cross-linker. A novel method for obtaining MIP toward S-metolachlor in an aqueous medium and at room temperature, according to the principles of green chemistry, has been discovered, in comparison to synthesis methods at high temperatures and using organic solvents. Under selected experimental conditions, the batch mode type of sorption was carried out efficiently, with S-metolachlor absorption of 2.4 mg per 1 g of MIP and 0.5 mg per 1 g of NIP. The selectivity of the sorbent towards other herbicides and pesticides was also tested, obtaining an ability to recognize S-metolachlor molecules 3.2 times better than atrazine, 6 times better than glyphosate, and 6.2 times better than fenoxaprop-P-ethyl. The FT-IR and SEM analyses were performed to characterize the structure of the synthesized polymers.