Selective removal of acidic pharmaceuticals from contaminated lake water using multi-templates molecularly imprinted polymer

A novel multi-templates molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), using acidic pharmaceuticals mixture (ibuprofen (IBP), naproxen (NPX), ketoprofen (KEP), diclofenac (DFC), and clofibric acid (CA)) as the template, was prepared for the removal of acidic pharmaceuticals from contaminated water. The sorption behaviors of the MIP including sorption kinetics, isotherms, effect of pH and ionic strength were investigated in detail. The MIP exhibited excellent selectivity affinity toward five acidic pharmaceuticals with higher binding capacity in water compared to non-imprinted polymer (NIP). The pseudo-second-order model well described the adsorption of acidic pharmaceuticals on the MIP. The feasibility of applying MIP for removing acidic pharmaceuticals from contaminated environmental water was demonstrated by comparing the adsorption capacity of acidic pharmaceuticals in spiked lake water to that in deionized water. In addition, the MIP could be used at least fifteenth cycles without obvious loss in adsorption capacity.

► A novel multi-templates MIP was prepared using acidic pharmaceuticals mix as the template.
► The MIP had better selectivity and higher adsorption efficiency for templates.
► The MIP is an effective method for selective removal of the five pharmaceuticals from real water.