Methacrylamide Based Polymeric Cryogels for the Effective Removal of Neonicotinoid Insecticide, Clothianidin

In recent years, the increasing use of pesticides, particularly in agriculture, has become a significant concern due to their detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, the effective removal of such pollutants from contaminated environments through appropriate treatment processes is of great importance. Clothianidin (CLT), a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, has been reported to negatively impact human health, affecting the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. This study involves investigating the CLT removal performance of polymeric cryogels from aqueous solutions, based on the CLT reduction signal. To achieve this, crosslinked methacrylamide/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/poly(acrylic acid) (MAmHP) cryogels were fabricated using free-radical copolymerization under cryogenic conditions. The macroporous polymeric samples that were synthesized underwent characterization through swelling tests, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR/ATR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Swelling parameters, widely applied in polymeric gel characterization, were assessed through dynamic swelling experiments carried out at 25°C. The pesticide adsorption performance of the MAmHP sorbent gel systems was evaluated for the removal of Clothianidin (CLT) using the voltammetric method at room temperature. The dynamic swelling tests performed at 25°C were used to determine the swelling parameters, which are widely utilized for characterizing polymeric gels.