Atrazine-selective polymers prepared by molecular imprinting of trialkylmelamines as dummy template species of atrazine

Synthetic polymer receptors selective for atrazine have been prepared by mo lecular imprinting using trialkylmelamines as template molecules in place o f atrazine. Trialkylmelamines were shown to be useful as templates for intr oducing affinity for atrazine into ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-methacryl ic acid copolymers. The polymers showed the selective binding capacity for triazine herbicides including atrazine, whereas agrochemicals in other cate gories were not adsorbed to the imprinted polymers. The group selectivity d emonstrated was comparable with that of the original atrazine imprinted pol ymers. Use of the nonagrochemical template molecules as a substitution to a trazine has made it possible to synthesize herbicide-receptor polymers free from troubles caused by analyte contaminants, which are desired for analyt ical applications.