Surface hydrophilic imprinted particles via a green precipitation polymerization for selective removal of tetracycline from aqueous solution

In this research, hydrophilic molecularly imprinted polymers (HMIPs) were synthesized through a facile one-step green precipitation polymerization in ethanol, which was non-toxic, green and environmentally friendly. HMIPs were tested by FT-IR, SEM, water contact angle studies and water dispersion stability test. HMIPs exhibited a good water-compatibility property. Compared with non-imprinted process, template molecule tetracycline (TC) had a significant influence on morphology of polymer particles. Batch binding experiments were carried out in water to evaluate adsorption equilibrium, kinetics and selectivity. Equilibrium adsorption amount increased with the increase of the temperature, and the data were well described by Freundlich model. Kinetics properties of HMIPs were better fitted to pseudo-second-order rate equations. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption process of TC was spontaneous and endothermic. HMIPs exhibited the high affinity and selectivity toward TC over structurally analogous antibiotics than that of non-imprinted polymers. Also, the HMIPs had good reuse ability.