Synthesis and characterization of a high selective mercury(II)-imprinted polymer using novel aminothiol monomer

A novel aminothiol monomer was synthesized fromʹ 2-mercaptoethylamine for complexing the Hg(II) ion. The synthesized complex monomer has been used for preparing the Hg(II)-imprinted polymer by radical copolymerization with methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and AIBN as the functional monomer, cross-linker and initiator respectively in the presence of a binary porogen of DMSO and toluene. The results of batch procedures showed that the Hg(II)-imprinted polymer has adsorption capacity of 28 mg g−1. The distribution ratio (Kd) values of the Hg(II)-imprinted polymer increases for mercury with respect to both Kd values of CH3Hg(I), Zn(II), Cd(II) and non-imprinted polymers. The relative selective factors k for Hg(II)/ CH3Hg(I), Hg(II)/Cd(II) and Hg(II)/Zn(II) are 15.5, 12.5, and 20.6, which are greater than 1. The thermal stability has also been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis which shows that the polymerization process increases the thermal stability up to 125 °C.