Biomedical Waste Management of Mercury using Advanced Polymeric Materials: Application of MIP - Sieve Sensor

Abstract

The most common routes of exposure to mercury in the healthcare facility include inhalation of inorganic mercury vapour after a spill or accidental skin contact with mercury. Accidental spills of liquid mercury can increase the levels of mercury in the air or wastewater of a HCFs. Establishing protocols for proper cleanup of spills involving mercury is an on flow challenge in Healthcare Sector where Bio safety and Bioethics are first law to be followed for human safety.
The surface ion-imprinted poly(ethylene terephthalate)- semicarbazide (PETSC) modified chelating fibre sieves (Hg-PET-SC) were prepared using Hg(II) as a template and formaldehyde as a cross-linker and showed higher adsorption capacity and selectivity for the Hg(II) ions compared with the nonimprinted fibres (NIP-PET-SC) without a template. The maximum limit of detection values for Hg-PET-SC and NIP-PET-SC were 60.05 g/l and 24.51 g/l, respectively using MIP-PET-SC-CNE and NIP-PET-SC-CNE sensors. The selectivity coefficient of Hg(II) ions and other metal ions on Hg-PET-SC indicated an overall preference for Hg(II) ions. Rebinding and crossselectivity studies were also carried out using various divalent ions as interferents.