Phenylurea herbicides-selective polymer prepared by molecular imprinting using N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-butyleneurea as dummy template

A phenylurea herbicides-selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-butyleneurea as a dummy template and toluene as a porogen. The experimental results showed that the optimum molar ratio of template, functional monomer (MAA) and cross-linker (EDMA) was 1:8:20. Scatchard analysis showed that two classes of binding sites were formed in the imprinted polymer with dissociation constants of 26.81 μmol l−1 and 1.428 mmol l−1. The affinity and selectivity of MIP for phenylurea herbicides were studied. Among the 14 phenylurea herbicides tested, the MIP prepared showed obviously high affinity and selectivity for 10 chemicals (monuron, diuron, isoproturon, fenuron, chlortoluron, difenoxuron, metoxuron, neburon, buturon and fluometuron) with dichloromethane containing 10% hexane as mobile phase while non-imprinted polymer showed very low affinity for all the phenylurea herbicides tested. The experimental and calculated results also indicated that the size and property of the group at the N′ position of phenylurea molecules have great influence on the affinity of MIP for them and the recognition site is mainly located at the N′ position of phenylurea herbicides.