Removal of Chlorpyrifos from Contaminated Water Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Microspheres

A new method of removing chlorpyrifos from contaminated water using molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres for chlorpyrifos is described. Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres were prepared by the emulsifier-free polymerization method. The removal efficiency and selective recognition ability of the molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres were studied. The highest removal efficiency was observed at pH=7. Moreover, molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres can be re-used for at least 10 times without losing any removal efficiency. Molecularly imprinted polymeric microspheres provided a selective, simple, reliable and practicable solution to remove chlorpyrifos from contaminated water.