Eurasian Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 13(5), em61 ISSN:1306-3057 OPEN ACCESS Research Paper https://doi.org/10.29333/ejac/97222 © 2018 by the authors; licensee Modestum Ltd., UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). faraz_ahmed1992@hotmail.com aamna_balouch@yahoo.com (*Correspondence) dbhanger2000@yahoo.com anachemist31@gmail.com kosarrajar12@gmail.com pirah.panah@gmail.com bilal_ahmed8562@yahoo.com tariq_shah2009@yahoo.com ameetk03@gmail.com Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for the Selective Removal of Mercury Faraz Ahmed Mustafai 1 , Aamna Balouch 1* , Muhammad Iqbal Bhanger 2 , Abdullah 1 , Kausar Rajar 1 , Pirah Panah 1 , Bilal Ahmed 3 , Tariq Shah 1 , Ameet Kumar 1 1 National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, PAKISTAN 2 International Centre for Chemical and Biological Science, University of Karachi, Karachi, PAKISTAN 3 Institute of Physics, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, PAKISTAN Received 19 April 2018 ▪ Revised 4 June 2018 ▪ Accepted 17 July 2018 ABSTRACT An adsorbent consisting of Hg 2+ ion imprinted polymer (IIP) was prepared and used for removal of Hg 2+ from real water samples. IIP was synthesized by utilizing 1- vinylimmidazole and methacrylic acid as complexing agent and monomer. IIP was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and EDX to investigate the functionality, morphology and elemental analysis. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics of Hg 2+ ion on Hg 2+ imprinted polymer have been studied and adsorption phenomenon of IIP was found to follow the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second order kinetic model. Other parameters such as pH, temperature, shaking speed, and agitation time affecting the adsorption of Hg 2+ were also optimized. The relative selectivity coefficient of imprinted polymer for Hg 2+ / Cu 2+ , Hg 2+ / Cr 3+ , Hg 2+ /Co 2+ were 122, 103, 76, respectively. Keywords: imprinted polymer, Hg 2+ , selective recognition, adsorption, toxicity, drinking water INTRODUCTION Mercury is a toxic element which exists in the natural environment; it is a constituent of earth’s crust and is present in aquatic sediments, soil, water, air, animals and living plants [1]. Nearly 3400 metric tons of elemental mercury is released into global environment per year and approximately 95% remains in terrestrial soil, 3% in surface ocean water, and 2% in the atmosphere. Around 70% of the mercury pollutant comes in the environment through anthropogenic sources [24]. Mercury is a harmful pollutant in the biosphere and considered to be a human health hazard. When it enters the body, it binds with sulfhydryl groups to inactivate key enzymes responsible for preventing oxidative damage and causes symptoms of neurological damage, kidney and liver toxicity [2,3,4,5]. Production of mercury-containing products is progressively increasing; it is essential in manufacturing of thermometers, batteries, cathode tubes, cameras, medical laboratory chemicals and equipment, and has been used as a catalyst in the production of urethane polymers for plastics, a cathode in the production of chlorine mercury vapor lamps and barometers. Hence, monitoring mercury level in environment is very much essential [6]. To clear the aqueous environment of mercury contamination, many pre-concentration and separation methods are stated; photo-catalysis [7], biological processing [8], Solid Phase Extraction (SPE), Cloud Point Extraction (CPE), solid and liquid phase micro extraction [9] ion exchange precipitation, co-precipitation, chemical precipitation [10] complexation, flotation [11], coagulation, electrodeposition and membrane filtration [12], electrochemical [13] bio- filtration [14] electrolysis and cementation [15]. Hence, selectivity is a requiring consequence and it is hard to accomplish with methods and materials defined earlier. To deal with the alarming problem and to get better selectivity, Molecular Imprinted Polymer (MIP) has