Abstract

Residues of pharmaceutical are potentially hazardous contaminants to aquatic life and human. Pharmaceutical residues have been detected in Malaysian tropical wastewaters. A challenge therein is the development of enrichment techniques able to extract polar pharmaceutical residues, since these compounds are widely found in aqueous samples yet present particular difficulties in their extraction due to their polar character. Acrylonitrile (AN)-divinylbenzene-80 (DVB-80)-vinylbenzylchloride (VBC) porous terpolymer material was prepared in the present research via precipitation polymerisation method. The porous terpolymer (MNA1) containing chlorine pendant groups was hypercrosslinked via a Friedel Crafts reaction to develop 3D network structure within the terpolymer chains. FT-IR spectrum of MNA1 showed that the chloromethyl groups derived from VBC were consumed, which was consistent with successful hypercrosslinking. The hypercrosslinked porous material was then chemically modified with ethylenediamine (EDA) (MNA2) to develop active functional groups (diamine moisties) along terpolymer chains. FT-IR spectrum showed that a new diamine absorption band appeared after the chemical modification, indicating the nitrile group was successfully converted into diamine moieties. Both experimental spectra was validated and proved by the calculated transmittance spectra. The mono-disperse spherical particles of MNA1 and MNA2 were observed using SEM analysis. Their high specific surface area and polar character (arising from AN residues), make them as potential materials to extract pharmaceutical residues.