<b>Synthesis of metal-binding polymers</b><br/>Water is one of the most precious resources on our planet, making up roughly two thirds of the earth’s surface. Despite the abundance of water, access to clean water has become increasingly difficult. Decades of industrial activities and neglect for the environment have contributed to water pollution. Common pollutants include heavy metals, which are toxic and carcinogenic not only to humans but also to aquatic life. Removal of heavy metal contaminants is a critical part of water purification. While several methods exist, the use of polymers to bind heavy metals offers many advantages over comparable methods, such as improved efficiency and elimination of harmful byproducts. The goal of this project is to synthesize a series of metal chelating polymers to determine which type of polymer results in the most efficient binding to a series of metals. By altering the structure of the polymers and the identity of the chelating group, this research will help elucidate the importance of polymer structure and functionality on metal binding efficiency. The polymers are be synthesized via post-polymerization functionalization, which enables the study of many different metal-chelating groups while minimizing the synthetic complexity. A single polymer can be functionalized with a variety of metal binding groups, creating a “library” of metal chelating polymers for detailed binding studies. This work was performed entirely by undergraduate students at Nova Southeastern University and highlights the importance of soft matter research at minority-serving primarily undergraduate institutions.

Synthesis of metal-binding polymers

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