Removal of pentachlorophenol from water using novel smart hydrogel microspheres

The thermoresponsive hydrogel microspheres were obtained by copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) crosslinked with N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS). The hydrogel was then functionalized using 1-naphthyl glycidyl ether (NGE) to attach naphthyl chromophores, which absorb UV light and act as photosensitizers. The ability of the functionalized microspheres to photosensitize dechlorination reactions was confirmed using pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a model compound.