A simple extraction method for norfloxacin from pharmaceutical wastewater with a magnetic core–shell molecularly imprinted polymer with the aid of computer simulation

Abstract

A simple and effective method was developed for norfloxacin detection using an innovative magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) with the aid of computer simulation. The best two functional monomers are selected according to the docking results. Four kinds of MMIP were synthesized with different functional monomers (methylacrylic acid and acrylamide) and solvents (dimethylsulfoxide and ethanol). The zeta potential was introduced to explain the interaction mechanism between MMIP and norfloxacin when the pH system was optimized. The final MMIP (MMIP-1) possesses a high efficiency recognition for norfloxacin (163.07 μg mg⁻¹) because of the thin layer of MIP (30 nm). Transmission electron microscopy shows uniform morphology for MMIP-1 (460 nm) with a core–shell structure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to study the chemical groups and magnetic properties of the materials. MMIP-1 possesses a high imprinting factor (greater than 3). A possible mechanism for the adsorption behavior was briefly explained with the Freundlich model and rate controlled steps. Simulated pharmaceutical wastewater was used for method validation and the method was then used to research using the method with real pharmaceutical wastewater. Because of its good properties, MMIP-1 proved to be an effective material when applied for norfloxacin extraction in complex pharmaceutical wastewater with detection using high performance chromatography.