THE EFFECT OF THE RATIO OF METHACRYLICACIDANDETHYLENE GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATEONTHEADSORPTION CAPACITY OF ION-IMPRINTEDPOLYMERS(IIPs) FOR Cr 3+ IONS

Cr 3+ metal ions are hazardous contaminants commonly found in industrial waste, particularly fromthe metal plating, leather tanning, and textile industries. One promising method to address this issue is adsorption using Ion-ImprintedPolymers (IIPs), a type of polymer material with high selectivity toward target ions. This study aims to analyse theeffect of the ratio of Methacrylic Acid (MAA) and Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in IIP synthesis onthe adsorption capacity for Cr 3+ ions. The synthesis process was carried out via polymerisation using CrCl3 as theimprinting ion, MAA as the functional monomer, and EGDMA as the crosslinker. Adsorption capacitywasevaluated by immersing the polymer in a 20 ppm Cr 3+ solution and measured using an atomic absorptionspectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the optimal ratio of MAA and EGDMA, each at 0.015mol, yielded the highest adsorption capacity, namely 1.95 mg/g. Increasing the amount of MAA and EGDMAbeyondthis optimal value reduced adsorption efficiency due to the formation of non-specific binding sites and an overlyrigid polymer structure. This indicates that the balance between the functional monomer and crosslinker ratiossignificantly influences the selectivity and effectiveness of IIPs in adsorbing Cr 3+ 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 todetect Cr 3+ ions.