Novel molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres for preconcentration and preservation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental samples

Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) microspheres with diameters in the range 60-500 μm were synthesized in a continuous segmented flow microfluidic reactor and used as packing material for microtraps for the selective separation of benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) from environmental aqueous samples. The synthesis involved the pumping of monodisperse droplets of acetonitrile containing methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, BAP as a template, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking monomer into the microchannels of the microfluidic reactor. The microspheres showed high adsorption capacity and selectivity for BAP in aqueous solutions; both are important for the environmental monitorin..