Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 27 No 1 (2023): 20 - 29

 

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMER IN OLEIC ACID ISOLATION FROM PALM FATTY ACID DISTILLATE WASTES

 

(Sintesis dan Ciri-Ciri Polimer Tercetak Molekul dalam Pengasingan Asid Oleik Daripada Sisa Penyulingan Asid Lemak Kelapa Sawit)

 

Nurlin Abu Samah*, Siti Maizatul Ameera Azhar and Gaanty Pragas Maniam

 

Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology,

Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Pahang, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: nurlin@ump.edu.my

 

 

Received: 20 September 2022; Accepted: 23 November 2022; Published:  22 February 2023

 

 

Abstract

In this study, molecularly imprinted polymer-oleic acid (MIPOA) was synthesized using oleic acid (OA) as the template via bulk polymerization. The objective of this study was to characterize the MIPOA as an adsorbent for the isolation of OA from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) waste, using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. Isolation method of OA from PFAD waste using MIPOA via esterification reaction in methanol and detection of OA by using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that MIPOA was capable of isolating OA from PFAD waste sample at 99.99% of isolation efficiency. Findings obtained from TGA results showed that MIPOA was less thermally-stable compared to NIP at higher temperature as the percentage weight loss of MIPOA was higher than NIP. At 215 oC, the weight loss of MIPOA (9.36%) was higher compared to NIP (6.55%) as a control due to the less branch of cross-linked polymer was successfully synthesized. Higher surface area in MIPOA compared to NIP was successfully proven in this experiment. In addition, the presence of OA as a template leaves the cavities during MIPOA washing contributes to the increase of the surface contact. Due to its high surface area and ease of degradation by external energy from heating when compared to NIP (which act as control), MIPOA has a high porosity and an abundance of an organic cross-linkage network. From BET analysis, surface area of MIPOA was 390.52 m2/g and this value was relatively high in isolation efficiency for the isolation of OA methyl ester. MIPOA displays type I isotherms which indicates that the MIPOA was microporous. These results proved that MIPOA can be employed as a potential adsorbent to isolate OA from PFAD waste.

 

Keywords: molecularly imprinted polymer, oleic acid, palm fatty acid distillate

 

Abstrak

Dalam kajian ini, polimer tercetak molekul-asid oleik (MIPOA) telah disintesis menggunakan asid oleik (OA) sebagai templat melalui pempolimeran pukal. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mencirikan MIPOA sebagai bahan penjerap untuk mengasingkan OA daripada sisa penyulingan asid lemak sawit (PFAD), analisis termogravimetrik (TGA) dan analisis Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). Kaedah pengasingan OA daripada sisa PFAD menggunakan MIPOA melalui tindak balas pengesteran dalam metanol dan pengesanan OA menggunakan kromatografi gas–jisim spektrometer (GC-MS) yang menunjukkan MIPOA mampu mengasingkan OA daripada sampel sisa PFAD pada 99.99% kecekapan pengasingan. Dapatan diperolehi daripada keputusan TGA menunjukkan MIPOA kurang stabil dari segi haba berbanding NIP pada suhu yang lebih tinggi kerana peratusan kehilangan berat MIPOA adalah lebih tinggi daripada NIP. Pada suhu 215 oC, penurunan berat MIPOA (9.36%) adalah lebih tinggi berbanding NIP (6.55%) kerana kurang bilangan cabang polimer bersilang yang telah berjaya disintesiskan. Luas permukaan yang lebih tinggi dalam MIPOA berbanding NIP telah berjaya dibuktikan dalam eksperimen ini. Di samping itu, kehadiran OA sebagai templat dikeluarkan daripada liang kaviti semasa pencucian MIPOA menyumbang kepada peningkatan permukaan sentuhan. Oleh kerana luas permukaannya yang tinggi dan kemudahan degradasi oleh tenaga luaran daripada pemanasan jika dibandingkan dengan NIP (yang bertindak sebagai kawalan), MIPOA mempunyai keliangan yang tinggi dan kelimpahan rangkaian rantai silang organik. Daripada analisis BET, luas permukaan MIPOA ialah 390.52 m2/g dan nilai ini agak tinggi dalam kecekapan pengasingan untuk pengasingan OA metil ester. Isoterma jenis paparan MIPOA I yang menunjukkan bahawa MIPOA adalah mikroliang. Keputusan ini membuktikan bahawa MIPOA boleh digunakan sebagai penjerap yang berpotensi untuk mengasingkan OA daripada sisa PFAD.

 

Kata kunci: Polimer tercetak molekul, asid oleik, sulingan asid lemak sawit


 

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