pH, Temperature, and Magnetic Triple-Responsive Polymer Porous Microspheres for Tunable Adsorption

Pollution control has become increasingly important in recent years. Heavy metal ions, proteins, and dyes are frequently found in wastewater because of their extensive industrial applications. In this study, pH, temperature, and magnetic triple-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) porous microspheres doped with magnetite nanoparticles as a new type of smart adsorbents are used to remove the aforementioned pollutants. The pH- and temperature-responsiveness of these microspheres realizes tunable adsorption toward Cu(II). Simultaneously, the microspheres exhibit good adsorption capability to lysozyme and basic fuchsine. Microsphere-adsorbing pollutants are easlily separated from wastewater by applying an external magnetic field to reuse the microspheres. (Figure presented.).