Molecularly Imprinted Hydrogels from Colloidal Crystals for the Detection of Organic Compounds

NATALIA CASIS; CARLOS BUSATTO; SERGE RAVAINE; DIANA ESTENOZ; M. MARTA FIDALGO

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; IWA Regional Conference on Membrane Technology 2012; 2012

The International Water Association

The use of a novel procedure of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) combining the colloidal crystal template method is described. The colloidal crystals made of silica particles were built by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique allowing a perfect control of the film thickness. The polymerization occurs in the interspaces of the colloidal crystal using a UV lamp and by removing the used template, the hydrogel films with a 3D ordered structure was obtained. The nanocavities derived from the organic compounds, in this case progesterone, were distributed within the walls of the internal structure of the films. The equilibrium swelling properties of the MIPs were studied as a function of time. The pore morphology of the film was analyzed by SEM. These films have a potential use as sensors for the detection of this kind of steroid, hormones that are present in wastewater at very low level.