Sorption of Pharmaceuticals in Aqueous Solution Using Insoluble β-Cyclodextrin Polymers

The present study was aimed at evaluating the ability of insoluble β-cyclodextrin polymers (βCDps) to recover pharmaceuticals from aqueous solutions. Two different β-cyclodextrin polymers, one composed of epichlorohydrin-cross linked β-cyclodextrin and the other a β-cyclodextrin-polyurethane, were prepared by condensation polymerization and addition polymerization of βCD using epichlorohydrin (EP) and diisocyanatohexane (HDI) as cross linking agents, respectively. The contaminants tested were naphthalene, naproxen, nabumetone, 2-naphthol, pyrene and propranolol which represent model pharmaceutical molecules. The adsorption isotherms of the organics and βCDPs were well described by Freundlich isotherm equations. The trapping efficiencies were determined using fluorescence spectroscopy as the analytical technique. Based on the results of this study, it was found that the epichlorohydrin-cross linked β-cyclodextrin polymers were more efficient in adsorption of organic contaminants both in batch and column systems when compared with β-cyclodextrin-polyurethane polymers. Reasons for these differences are discussed.