In this study, micromesh-structured polymers were prepared for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) adsorption by using methacrylic acid (MAA) and styrene (Sty) as functional monomers and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinker. In addition, influences of monomer compositions, porogens, and DEHP imprinting on adsorption performance of the polymers were examined. The polymer increased and decreased DEHP adsorptions respectively with increasing Sty and MAA contents. Compared to single porogen systems (acetonitrile or toluene), polymerization in the presence of acetonitrile and toluene at a volume ratio of 3:1 exhibited the highest DEHP adsorption. However, the monomer and porogen compositions which enabled high adsorption ability were all unfavorable for DEHP imprinting. These findings revealed that micromeshes formed between EGDMAs were mainly responsible for DEHP adsorption. Despite insignificant imprinting, conformation similarity of the micromeshes to DEHP still allowed the polymer prepared at a MAA: Sty: EGDMA molar ratio of 8:5:10 to show high selectivity factors of 13.5, 6.8, and 21.7 for DEHP adsorption relative to bisphenol A, estradiol, and phenol adsorptions, respectively. Moreover, it quickly reached an adsorption equilibrium at 20 minutes and exhibited a high adsorption capacity of 38.91 mg/g. The polymer in an inverse opal structure was able to respond DEHP capture by red-shifting Bragg diffraction. Its sensing ability was also examined.

High and selective adsorption of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate by micromesh-structured polymers

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