X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy characterization of electrosynthesized poly(3-thiophene acetic acid) and its application in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for atrazine

Abstract X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to extensively investigate the chemical structure of electrosynthesized poly(3-thiophene acetic acid). The observation of the integrity of carboxylic functionalities upon polymerization, along with the strong affinity between monomer and the herbicide atrazine (At) evidenced by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, prompted the exploitation of the application of the electrosynthesized polymer in the preparation of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) for At. Experimental conditions for film electrosynthesis in the presence of template (At) were selected. XPS spectroscopy was used also for the characterization of the imprinted film, evidencing the entrapment of the template in polymer matrix and the removal of most template upon washing. Moreover, XPS results about the use of a cross-linking agent (3,3-bithiophene) for prospective improvement of MIP structural integrity are illustrated.