Separation of l-lysine from dilute aqueous solution using molecular imprinting technique

In the present study, separation of l-lysine from dilute aqueous solution by solid-phase extraction based on molecular imprinting technique using a polar porogen was investigated. l-Lysine imprinted polymer (LLIP) was prepared by free radical solution polymerization of methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as functional and cross-linking monomers, in the presence of l-lysine as an imprint molecule, mixture of water and methanol as solvent and AIBN as an initiator. Non-imprinted polymer (NIP) as control was also prepared by the same procedure in the absence of template molecules. LLIP particles were applied to determine the optimum operational condition for l-lysine separation from dilute aqueous solution. In adsorption step, optimum pH and retention time were 7.8 and 90 min, while corresponding values in extraction step were 12 and 50 min, respectively. l and d-Lysine recovery by LLIP at optimum condition were found to be 96 and 58% with corresponding distribution coefficients of 8000 and 460, respectively. The retention capacity of LLIP was 27.26 mg l-lys/g of polymer at optimum condition.