Wet phase inversion method was used to prepare L-Phenylalanine (L-Phe) and D-Phenylalanine (D-Phe) imprinted poly [(acrylonitrile)-co-(acrylic acid)] membranes for chiral separation. Ultrafiltration experiments were conducted to evaluate the chiral separation ability of the prepared membrane towards racemate aqueous solution of Phenylalanine. The continuous permselectivity was observed by novel membrane. The chiral resolution ability of L-Phe imprinted membrane was much better than that of D-Phe. It was observed that both membranes simultaneously, selectively reject, selectively adsorbed and selectively permeate solute. The achieved adsorption selectivities of L-Phe imprinted membrane [Ads]L and D-Phe imprinted membrane [Ads]D were 2.6 and 2.40 respectively. Permselectivity of L-Phe imprinted membrane [Perm]L was 2.56 while D-Phe imprinted membrane’s permselectivity [Perm]D was 2.03. The rejection selectivities of L-Phe and D-Phe imprinted membranes were [Rej]L=0.32 and [Rej]D =0.28 respectively.


Noaman Ul-Haq and Joong Kon Park