A novel ion-imprinted polymeric sorbent for separation and determination of chromium(III) species in wastewater

Abstract

A new chromium(III) ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was prepared from a Cr(III)-nicotinate complex (template), acrylamide (functional monomer), and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linking agent) using 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as the radical initiator. IIP was characterised and used as a selective sorbent for the solid-phase extraction of Cr(III) ions. The conditions for dynamic separation of Cr(III) on IIP were optimised. Cr(III) ions are selectively retained on the sorbent in a pH range from 9 to 10 and can be eluted with 4 mol L$^{-1}$ acetic acid. Cr(III) ions were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) with a detection limit of 0.08 $\mu $g mL$^{-1}$. The method was successfully applied to determine Cr(III) species in wastewater and reference material RES 25.2 with a reproducibility of 1.8%-3.4%.