Physical Removal of Anions from Aqueous Media by Means of a Macrocycle-Containing Polymeric Network

Reported here is a hydrogel-forming polymer network that contains a water-soluble tetracationic macrocycle. Upon immersion of this polymer network in aqueous solutions containing various inorganic and organic salts, changes in the physical properties are observed that are consistent with absorption of the constituent anions into the polymer network. This absorption is ascribed to host-guest interactions involving the tetracationic macrocyclic receptor. Removal of the anions may then be achieved by lifting the resulting hydrogels out of the aqueous phase. Treating the anion-containing hydrogels with dilute HCl leads to the protonation-induced release of the bound anions. This allows the hydrogels to be recycled for reuse. The present polymer network thus provides a potentially attractive approach to removing undesired anions from aqueous environments.