Synthesis and Characterization of Rhodamine B Imprinted Polymer
Aria Pinandita, Muhammad Bachri Amran

Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Institut Teknologi Bandung

Abstract

Rhodamine B was a synthetic dye of xanthene derivatives commonly used in the paint and textile industries. These dyes caused irritation of the respiratory system, has a carcinogenic effect, and at high concentrations caused liver damage. Rhodamine B has been used in processed foods because it provides a brighter and cheaper color. The aim of this research was to produce a molecularly imprinted polymer sorbents (MIP), which could be used in more selective, accurate, and precise for rhodamine B analysis. Polymer synthesis were produced by bulk polymerization method using rhodamine B as template molecule, methacrylic acid as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker, and benzoyl peroxide as initiator in acetonitrile as porogen solvent. With mol ratio of template molecule : functional monomer : crosslinkers of 2:4:20, resulted MIP with imprinting factor (IF) of 1,2 for MIP with methacrylic acid monomer. MIP were characterized using an infra red spectrophotometry, SEM, and evaluated for adsorption ability.

Keywords: rhodamine B, molecularly imprinted polymer, methacrylic acid

Topic: Analytical Chemistry