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

NATALIA CASÍS; CARLOS BUSATTO; SERGE RAVAINE; DIANA ESTENOZ; MARIA MARTA FIDALGO DE CORTALEZZI

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; IWA Regional Conference on Membrane Technology 2012; 2012

ITBA

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