The Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, discussed a master’s thesis entitled:

“Preparation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Based on Polyacrylamide, Polyacrylic Acid, and Their Copolymer for the Removal of Nitrophenols Using the Adsorption Technique”

Submitted by the postgraduate student (Ibtehal Habib Abdul-Nabi).

The thesis aimed to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers based on polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, and their copolymer, and to characterize them using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Subsequently, the study investigated the rebinding efficiency and selectivity of the prepared polymers in comparison with phenol and meta-cresol, employing UV–Vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, the effect of pH on the extraction efficiency of aqueous solutions containing the three isomers of nitrophenol was examined.

The findings revealed that the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) exhibited higher rebinding efficiency compared to their corresponding non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) of the same structural composition. The MIPs also demonstrated higher selectivity toward nitrophenols over phenol and meta-cresol, in addition to good thermal stability as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. The experimental results further indicated that lowering the pH value to two enhanced the extraction efficiency, thereby facilitating the transfer of nitrophenolic pollutants into the organic phase and their removal using MIPs through adsorption.

The study recommends expanding the application of this approach to include environmental water samples from rivers located near oil refineries and industrial facilities. It also suggests employing alternative solvents and cross-linking agents to improve the functional performance of molecularly imprinted polymers. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of developing and applying green extraction techniques, as well as implementing advanced liquid–liquid extraction systems to minimize extraction and separation times.