Dummy Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Analyzing Fluorene and Phenanthrene: An Integrative Study of Adsorption Isotherms, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

Aria Pinandita; Nurrahmi Handayani; Muhammad Iqbal; Untung Triadhi; Rusnadi Rusnadi; Samitha Dewi Djajanti; Muhammad Bachri Amran; Muhammad Ali Zulfikar

doi:10.22146/ijc.110267

Dummy Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Analyzing Fluorene and Phenanthrene: An Integrative Study of Adsorption Isotherms, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.110267

Aria Pinandita⁽¹⁾, Nurrahmi Handayani⁽²⁾, Muhammad Iqbal⁽³⁾, Untung Triadhi⁽⁴⁾, Rusnadi Rusnadi⁽⁵⁾, Samitha Dewi Djajanti⁽⁶⁾, Muhammad Bachri Amran⁽⁷⁾, Muhammad Ali Zulfikar^(8*)

(1) Doctoral Program of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(2) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia; Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(3) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(4) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(5) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia; Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(6) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(7) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(8) Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia; Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

A dummy molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized using anthrone as a dummy template, styrene as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the crosslinker, and benzoyl peroxide as the initiator for the selective adsorption of fluorene and phenanthrene. The interactions between anthrone and styrene were evaluated by UV–vis titration and Job’s plot to determine the optimal binding stoichiometry. FTIR, TGA, SEM and BET-BJH analyses confirmed effective template removal and the formation of recognition cavities. Isotherm studies showed that fluorene adsorption followed the Langmuir model (R² = 0.9988), with a maximum adsorption capacity of 12.221 mg g⁻¹ and a Langmuir constant of 5.293 L mg⁻¹. In contrast, the Freundlich model best described the adsorption of phenanthrene (R² = 0.9997), yielding a Freundlich constant of 24.463 (mg g⁻¹)(L mg⁻¹)^1/n and a 1/n value of 0.288. Kinetic analysis revealed pseudo-second-order model behavior (R² > 0.99), with rate constants of 0.261 g mg⁻¹ min⁻¹ for phenanthrene and 0.0059 g mg⁻¹ min⁻¹ for fluorene. Thermodynamic evaluations indicated that phenanthrene adsorption was enthalpy-driven and exothermic, whereas fluorene adsorption was entropy-driven and endothermic. Both adsorption processes were spontaneous, confirming the potential of the anthrone-based dummy molecularly imprinted polymer as an efficient sorbent for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Keywords

dummy molecularly imprinted polymer; anthrone; fluorene; phenanthrene; adsorption

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.110267