N.D. Sella, U. Alizar, Yulkifli, A. Syamsi, S.A. Hanifah, R.A. Hassan
Cr3+ metal ions are hazardous contaminants commonly found in industrial waste, particularly from the metal plating, leather tanning, and textile industries. One promising method to address this issue is adsorption using Ion-Imprinted Polymers (IIPs), a type of polymer material with high selectivity toward target ions. This study aims to analyse the effect of the ratio of Methacrylic Acid (MAA) and Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in IIP synthesis on the adsorption capacity for Cr3+ ions. The synthesis process was carried out via polymerisation using CrCl3 as the imprinting ion, MAA as the functional monomer, and EGDMA as the crosslinker. Adsorption capacity was evaluated by immersing the polymer in a 20 ppm Cr3+ solution and measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the optimal ratio of MAA and EGDMA, each at 0.015 mol, yielded the highest adsorption capacity, namely 1.95 mg/g. Increasing the amount of MAA and EGDMA beyond this optimal value reduced adsorption efficiency due to the formation of non-specific binding sites and an overly rigid polymer structure. This indicates that the balance between the functional monomer and crosslinker ratios significantly influences the selectivity and effectiveness of IIPs in adsorbing Cr3+ ions. Ion Imprinted Polymers (IIPs) can dramatically contribute to addressing environmental pollution caused by heavy metal ion contamination, especially in water and soil. Furthermore, IIPs can also be applied to design electrochemical sensor transducers to detect Cr3+ ions. © 2026, Rasayan Journal of Chemistry, c/o Dr. Pratima Sharma. All rights reserved.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl. Prof. Hamka, Padang, 25131, Indonesia; Biosensor & Chemical Sensor Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl. Prof. Hamka, Padang, 25131, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl. Prof. Hamka, Padang, 25131, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen
