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Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising for the next-generation large-scale energy storage. However, the Zn anode remains facing challenges. Here, we report a cyclodextrin polymer (P-CD) to construct quasi-single ion conductor for coating and protecting Zn anodes. The P-CD coating layer inhibited the corrosion of Zn anode and prevented the side reaction of metal anodes. More important is that the cyclodextrin units enabled the trapping of anions through host-guest interactions and hydrogen bonds, forming a quasi-single ion conductor that elevated the Zn ion transference number (from 0.31 to 0.68), suppressed the formation of space charge regions and hence stabilized the plating/striping of Zn ions. As a result, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells coated with P-CD achieved a 70.6 times improvement in cycle life at high current densities of 10 mA cm-2 with 10 mAh cm-2. Importantly, the Zn//K1.1V3O8 (KVO) full-cells with high mass loading of cathode materials and low N/P ratio of 1.46 reached the capacity retention of 94.5% after 1000 cycles at 10 A g-1; while the cell without coating failed only after 230 cycles. These results provide novel perspective into the control of solid-electrolyte interfaces for stabilizing Zn anode and offer a practical strategy to improve AZIBs.

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Removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) from water, especially hydrophilic and ionized ones, is challenging for water remediation. Herein, porous ß-cyclodextrin polymers (PCPs) with tailored functionalization were prepared based on molecular expansion strategy and sulfonation. Partially benzylated ß-cyclodextrin was knotted by external crosslinker to form PCP1, and knotting PCP1 by expansion molecule generated PCP2. PCP1 and PCP2 were sulfonated to achieve PCP1-SO3H and PCP2-SO3H. Based on systematical adsorption evaluation toward multiple categories of OMPs, it was found that the introduced strong polar -SO3H group could bring strong hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. PCP2 showed the highest surface (998.97 m2/g) displayed more excellent adsorption performance toward neutral and anionic OMPs, and the adsorption mechanism for this property of PCP2 was dominated by hydrophobic interactions. In addition, the PCP1-SO3H with the lowest surface area (39.75 m2/g) rather than PCP2-SO3H with higher surface (519.28 m2/g) exhibited more superior adsorption towards hydrophilic and cationic OMPs, benefiting by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions as well as appropriate porosity. These results not only confirmed the performance enhancement of PCPs through the integration of novel preparation strategy, but also provided fundamental guidance for PCPs design for water remediation.

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Breast cancer ranks among the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide and bears the highest mortality rate. As an integral component of cancer treatment, mastectomy entails the complete removal of the affected breast. Typically, breast reconstruction, involving the use of silicone implants (augmentation mammaplasty), is employed to address the aftermath of mastectomy. To mitigate postoperative risks associated with mammaplasty, such as capsular contracture or bacterial infections, the functionalization of breast implants with coatings of cyclodextrin polymers as drug delivery systems represents an excellent alternative. In this context, our work focuses on the application of a mathematical model for simulating drug release from breast implants coated with cyclodextrin polymers. The proposed model considers a unidirectional diffusion process following Fick's second law, which was solved using the orthogonal collocation method, a numerical technique employed to approximate solutions for ordinary and partial differential equations. We conducted simulations to obtain release profiles for three therapeutic molecules: pirfenidone, used for preventing capsular contracture; rose Bengal, an anticancer agent; and the antimicrobial peptide KR-12. Furthermore, we calculated the diffusion profiles of these drugs through the cyclodextrin polymers, determining parameters related to diffusivity, solute solid-liquid partition coefficients, and the Sherwood number. Finally, integrating these parameters in COMSOL multiphysics simulations, the unidirectional diffusion mathematical model was validated.

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Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Long-term treatment with conventional chemotherapy may result in severe systemic side effects. Therefore, the localized delivery of chemotherapy helps to overcome such a problem. In this article, self-assembling hydrogels were constructed via inclusion complexation between host ß-cyclodextrin polymers (8armPEG20k-CD and pß-CD) and the guest polymers 8-armed poly(ethylene glycol) capped either with cholesterol (8armPEG20k-chol) or adamantane (8armPEG20k-Ad) and were loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and methotrexate (MTX). The prepared hydrogels were characterized by SEM and rheological behaviors. The in vitro release of 5-FU and MTX was studied. The cytotoxicity of our modified systems was investigated against breast tumor cells (MCF-7) using an MTT assay. Additionally, the histopathological changes in breast tissues were monitored before and after their intratumor injection. The results of rheological characterization indicated the viscoelastic behavior in all cases except for 8armPEG-Ad. In vitro release results showed a variable range of release profiles from 6 to 21 days, depending on the hydrogel composition. MTT findings indicated the inhibition ability of our systems against the viability of cancer cells depending on the kind and concentration of the hydrogel and the incubation period. Moreover, the results of histopathology showed the improvement of cancer manifestation (swelling and inflammation) after intratumor injection of loaded hydrogel systems. In conclusion, the obtained results indicated the applicability of the modified hydrogels as injectable vehicles for both loading and controlled release of anticancer therapies.

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Plants produce a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals, such as antioxidants and vitamins, which play crucial roles in aging prevention, inflammation reduction, and reducing the risk of cancer. Selectively harvesting these phytochemicals, such as lycopene, from tomatoes through the adsorption method is cost-effective and energy efficient. In this work, a templated synthesis of 3D-printed crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers featuring nanotubular structures for highly selective lycopene harvesting is reported. Polypseudorotaxanes formed by triethoxysilane-based telechelic polyethylene glycols and α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) are designed as the template to (1) synthetically access urethane-based nanotubular structures at the molecular level, and (2) construct 3D-printed architectures with designed macroscale voids. The polypseudorotaxane hydrogels showed good rheological properties for direct ink writing, and the 3D-printed hydrogels were converted to the desired α-CD polymer network through a three-step postprinting transformation. The obtained urethane-crosslinked α-CD monoliths possess nanotubular structures and 3D-printed voids. They selectively adsorb lycopene from raw tomato juice, protecting lycopene from photo- or thermo-degradations. This work highlights the hierarchically templated synthesis approach in developing functional 3D-printing materials by connecting the bottom-up molecular assembly and synthesis with the top-down 3D architecture control and fabrication.

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Cyclodextrins, cyclic oligosaccharides with a hydrophobic cavity that form inclusion complexes with nonpolar molecules, can be used to functionalize other polysaccharides. Xanthan gum, locust bean gum or chitosan can be crosslinked using citric acid in the presence of ß-cyclodextrin to produce insoluble matrices. In this work, polymeric foams based on those polysaccharides and saponin have been prepared using a green synthesis method to increase the porosity of the matrices. The saponin of soapbark (Quillaja saponaria) has been used to obtain foams using different procedures. The influence of the synthesis path on the porosity of the materials and their corresponding sorption capacities in the aqueous phase were evaluated.

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Production wastewater has evolved with dye and printing technology to become one of the major sources of soil and water contamination. The majority of dyes are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic compounds. As a result, dealing with the dye in the wastewater is a critical issue. Insoluble polymers of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD), an inexpensive, sustainably produced macrocycle of glucose, have potential to remove dyes from water/wastewater via sorption due to formation of well-defined host-guest complexes. A novel polymeric sorbent based on cyclodextrin was successfully synthesized in a one-step reaction with few reagents. The polymer is characterized by multifunctionality and cross-linked network structure. The sorption studies aimed at the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The dominant model was Langmuir isotherm which indicated a sorption capacity of 96.15 mg/g. The rapid removal has already been obtained after 1 min, around 84 % of efficiency. The molecular mechanism of MB sorption by poly(ß-CD-BPDA) network is found mostly on the electrostatic interactions and partially on the inclusion of complexation inside supramolecular pores based on cyclodextrins' cavities, hydrogen bonding and slightly π-stacking. The presented polymer seems to be a promising sorbent for the removal of hazardous organic pollutants from water/wastewater.

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In the early 2000s, a method for cross-linking cyclodextrins (CDs) with citric acid (CTR) was developed. This method was nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive compared to the others previously proposed in the literature. Since then, the CD/CTR biopolymers have been widely used as a coating on implants and other materials for biomedical applications. The present review aims to cover the chemical properties of CDs, the synthesis routes of CD/CTR, and their applications as drug-delivery systems when coated on different substrates. Likewise, the molecules released and other pharmaceutical aspects involved are addressed. Moreover, the different methods of pretreatment applied on the substrates before the in situ polymerization of CD/CTR are also reviewed as a key element in the final functionality. This process is not trivial because it depends on the surface chemistry, geometry, and physical properties of the material to be coated. The biocompatibility of the polymer was also highlighted. Finally, the mechanisms of release generated in the CD/CTR coatings were analyzed, including the mathematical model of Korsmeyer-Peppas, which has been dominantly used to explain the release kinetics of drug-delivery systems based on these biopolymers. The flexibility of CD/CTR to host a wide variety of drugs, of the in situ polymerization to integrate with diverse implantable materials, and the controllable release kinetics provide a set of advantages, thereby ensuring a wide range of future uses.

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Due to their flexible composition, large surface areas, versatile surface properties, and degradability, nanoscale metal organic frameworks (nano MOFs) are drawing significant attention in nanomedicine. In particular, iron trimesate MIL-100 (Fe) is studied extensively in the drug delivery field. Nanosized MIL-100 (Fe) are obtained mostly by microwave-assisted synthesis. Simpler, room-temperature (RT) synthesis methods attract growing interest and have scale-up potential. However, the preparation of RT MIL100 is still very challenging because of the high tendency of the nanoparticles to aggregate during their synthesis, purification and storage. To address this issue, we prepared RT MIL100 using acetic acid as a modulator and used non-toxic cyclodextrin-based coatings to ensure stability upon storage. Hydrodynamic diameters less than 100 nm were obtained after RT synthesis, however, ultrasonication was needed to disaggregate the nanoparticles after their purification by centrifugation. The model drug adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was successfully encapsulated in RT MIL100 obtained using acetic acid as a modulator. The coated RT MIL100 has CD-exhibited degradability, good colloidal stability, low cytotoxicity, as well as high drug payload efficiency. Further studies will focus on applications in the field of cancer therapy.

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Au nanostructures exhibiting a localized surface plasmon resonance in the near-infrared spectral window are obtained in a single, green step at room temperature by pomegranate extract in the presence of a highly biocompatible ß-cyclodextrin branched polymer, without the need of preformed seeds, external reducing and sacrificial agents, and conventional surfactants. The polymeric component makes the Au nanostructures dispersible in water, stable for weeks and permits their supramolecular assembling with the chemotherapeutic sorafenib and a nitric oxide (NO) photodonor (NOPD), chosen as representative for chemo- and photo-therapeutics. Irradiation of the plasmonic Au nanostructures in the therapeutic window with 808 nm laser light results in a good photothermal response, which (i) is not affected by the presence of either the chemo- or the phototherapeutic guests and (ii) does not lead to their photoinduced decomposition. Besides, irradiation of the hybrid Au nanoassembly with the highly biocompatible green light results in the NO release from the NOPD with efficiency similar to that observed for the free guest. Preliminary biological experiments against Hep-G2 hepatocarcinoma cell lines are also reported.

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Cyclodextrin-based polymers can be prepared starting from the naturally occurring monomers following green and low-cost procedures. They can be selectively derivatized pre- or post-polymerization allowing to fine-tune functionalities of ad hoc customized polymers. Preparation nowadays has reached the 100 g scale thanks also to the interest of industries in these extremely versatile compounds. During the last 15 years, these macromolecules have been the object of intense investigations in view of possible biomedical applications as the ultimate goal and large amounts of scientific data are now available. Compared to their monomeric models, already used in the formulation of various therapeutic agents, they display superior behavior in terms of their solubility in water and solubilizing power toward drugs incompatible with biological fluids. Moreover, they allow the combination of more than one type of therapeutic agent in the polymeric system. In this review, a complete state of the art on the knowledge and potentialities of water-soluble cyclodextrin-based polymers as therapeutic agents as well as carrier systems for different types of therapeutics to implement combination therapy is provided. Finally, a perspective on their assets for innovation in disease treatment as well as their limits that still need to be addressed is given.

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In this contribution, we report a strategy to enhance the therapeutic action of the chemotherapeutic Sorafenib (SRB) through its combination with a multifunctional ß-cyclodextrin-based polymer able to deliver nitric oxide (NO) and emit green fluorescence upon visible light excitation (PolyCDNO). The basically water-insoluble SRB is effectively encapsulated in the polymeric host (1 mg mL-1) up to a concentration of 18 µg mL-1. The resulting host-guest supramolecular complex is able to release SRB in sink conditions and to preserve very well the photophysical and photochemical properties of the free PolyCDNO, as demonstrated by the similar values of the NO release and fluorescence emission quantum efficiencies found. The complex PolyCDNO/SRB internalizes in HEP-G2 hepatocarcinoma, MCF-7 breast cancer and ACHN kidney adenocarcinoma cells, localizing in all cases mainly at the cytoplasmic level. Biological experiments have been performed at SRB concentrations below the IC50 and with light doses producing NO at nontoxic concentrations. The results demonstrate exceptional mortality levels for PolyCDNO/SRB upon visible light irradiation in all the different cell lines tested, indicating a clear synergistic action between the chemotherapeutic drug and the NO. These findings can open up exciting avenues to potentiate the anticancer action of SRB and, in principle, to reduce its side effects through its use at low dosages when in combination with the photo-regulated release of NO.

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Cyclodextrin can form host-guest inclusion complexes with a variety of organic pollutants and has unique advantages in removing complex dye molecules from water. In this study, a porous cyclodextrin polymer (P-CDP) was prepared using a rigid crosslinking agent, and the structure of the P-CDP was characterized by FT-IR, XPS, SEM, BET, and other technologies. The P-CDP was studied using isothermal adsorption and kinetic adsorption experiments. The inclusion adsorption performance and host-guest effect of the P-CDP for dye molecules in water were studied using competitive experiments. The characterization results showed that the P-CDP had strong thermal stability. It had a microporous structure with a specific surface area of 108.745 m2·g-1. The Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model had a higher fitting degree for the adsorption process. The results of the competition experiments showed that the electrostatic effect was stronger than the host-guest effect in the adsorption process. Pollutants whose molecular configurations were highly matched with the cyclodextrin cavity could form inclusion complexes with high molecular stability. Contaminants with strong hydrophobicity were more likely to be encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity. After the P-CDP adsorbed the dyes, the removal efficiency after the fifth cycle of elution and regeneration remained above 80%. This study showed that P-CDP has potential application value in the treatment of dye wastewater.

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Alkylphenols are industrial pollutants commonly present in wastewater. They are difficult to eliminate by conventional treatment processes, ending up in the sludge of wastewater treatment plants. In this study, we propose to use cross-linked cyclodextrin-based polymers (ECP) as sorbents to treat three alkylphenols, namely, one nonylphenol (4-n-NP) and two octylphenols (4-n-OP and 4-tert-OP), present in aqueous solution by a batch method. The experiments were carried out with five cyclodextrin polymers (α-ECP, ß-ECP, γ-ECP, α,ß,γ-ECP, and HP-ß-ECP). Sorption results showed that all polymers, with the exception of α-ECP, had high sorption capacities between 60 and 100% of the alkylphenols in the concentration range studied (between 25 and 100 µg/L). In all cases, HP-ß-ECP has shown the highest removals, regardless of the structure of the molecule. The order obtained was HP-ß-ECP >> ß-ECP ~ α,ß,γ-ECP >> γ-ECP > α-ECP. The 4-tert-OP compound was the best adsorbed, regardless the material and the solution studied. Sorption results also indicated that (i) the sorption efficiency decreased with the increasing of alkylphenol concentration; (ii) sodium chloride had a strong negative effect on the sorption process; and (iii) the performance remained unchanged after five sorption-regeneration cycles. The main sorption mechanism of alkylphenols occurring in ECP was the inclusion within the cyclodextrin cavities. The obtained results proved that cyclodextrin polymers could serve as efficient sorbents for the removal of alkylphenols from real effluents.

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Chlorophenols (CPs) have been listed as priority control pollutants because of their high toxicity and wide range. An In-situ monitoring technique using diffusive gradients in thin films based on porous ß-cyclodextrin polymers as binding materials (CDP-DGT), was established to monitor four typical CPs, namely, 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP), 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP), 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in water and soils. The performance of CDP-DGT are stable under the conditions of pH 3.5-9.3, ionic strength 0.001-0.500 mol L-1 and dissolved organic matter concentration 0-20 mol L-1. The adsorption capacities of CDP-DGT for 4-CP, 2,4-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP were 57.80 µg cm-2, 98.82 µg cm-2, 95.69 µg cm-2 and 98.91 µg cm-2, respectively. The time-average weighted concentrations of four CPs determined by CDP-DGT at Sanjiangkou wharf (Yangtze river, China) were consistent with the results of grab sampling, indicating the feasibility of CDP-DGT application in actual water. In addition, the distribution of CPs in the red soil of Kunming and paddy soil of Yixing were also studied by CDP-DGT, and the desorption kinetics in the two soils were analyzed with the DIFS model. The higher the soil organic matter content is, the more CPs are distributed in the soil solid phase. CPs in both soils can be partially resupplied to soil solution from the soil solid phase and the higher the partition coefficient for labile CPs is, the stronger the supplement capacity is.

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The chemotherapeutic Lenvatinib (LVB) and a nitric oxide (NO) photodonor based on a rhodamine antenna (RD-NO) activatable by the highly compatible green light are supramolecularly assembled by a ß-cyclodextrin branched polymer (PolyCD). The poorly water-soluble LVB and RD-NO solubilize very well within the polymeric host leading to a ternary supramolecular nanoassembly with a diameter of ~55 nm. The efficiency of the NO photorelease and the typical red fluorescence of RD-NO significantly enhance within the polymer due to its active role in the photochemical and photophysical deactivation pathways. The co-presence of LVB within the same host does not affect either the nature or the efficiency of the photoinduced processes of RD-NO. Besides, irradiation of RD-NO does not lead to the decomposition of LVB, ruling out any intermolecular photoinduced process between the two guests despite sharing the same host. Ad-hoc devised Förster Resonance Energy Transfer experiments demonstrate this to be the result of the not close proximity of the two guests, which are confined in different compartments of the same polymeric host. The supramolecular complex is stable in a culture medium, and its biological activity has been evaluated against HEP-G2 hepatocarcinoma cell lines in the dark and under irradiation with visible green light, using LVB at a concentration well below the IC50. Comparative experiments performed using the polymeric host encapsulating the individual LVB and RD-NO components under the same experimental conditions show that the moderate cell mortality induced by the ternary complex in the dark increases significantly upon irradiation with visible green light, more likely as the result of synergism between the NO photogenerated and the chemotherapeutic.

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As one group of important naphthalene derivatives, naphthol and naphthylamine are diffusely employed as dye intermediates. The presence of naphthol and naphthylamine in water systems may pose risks to the environment and public health due to their carcinogenicity. In this study, four mesoporous polymers prepared by ß-cyclodextrin derivatives and tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile were obtained and applied to adsorbing 1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine, 1-naphthol, and 2-naphthol from water. The impact of adsorption time, initial concentration of naphthol and naphthylamine, and temperature on the adsorption efficiency of the four polymers were explored separately. The four polymers present fast adsorption kinetics toward naphthol and naphthylamine, attaining 93 ~ 100% of adsorption equilibrium uptake for 1-naphthol, 1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine in 15 min, and 87 ~ 90% of equilibrium uptake for 2-naphthol in 15 min. The kinetics could be depicted well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherms of the four polymers toward naphthol and naphthylamine accord with the Redlich-Peterson or Sips model. The maximum adsorption capacities of 1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine, 1-naphthol, and 2-naphthol are 189.9 mg/g, 82.8 mg/g, 137.7 mg/g, and 88.7 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption ratio increases fast with reducing the initial concentration of naphthol and naphthylamine, and the adsorption ratio of naphthol and naphthylamine in 5 mg/L can achieve over 95% in 25 °C. In addition, the four polymers can be effortlessly regenerated by a gentle and simple washing procedure with little reduction in performance. The adsorption performance of the four polymers toward the four naphthalene derivatives can be improved by increasing the adsorption temperature. In conclusion, the prepared ß-cyclodextrin polymers exhibit rapid water treatment in removing the four low-concentration naphthalene derivatives with convenient regeneration and good reusability.

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This article describes the synthesis and characterization of ß-cyclodextrin-based nano-sponges (NS) inclusion compounds (IC) with the anti-tumor drugs melphalan (MPH) and cytoxan (CYT), and the addition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto both systems, for the potential release of the drugs by means of laser irradiation. The NS-MPH and NS-CYT inclusion compounds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-Vis, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). Thus, the inclusion of MPH and CYT inside the cavities of NSs was confirmed. The association of AuNPs with the ICs was confirmed by SEM, EDS, TEM, and UV-Vis. Drug release studies using NSs synthesized with different molar ratios of ß-cyclodextrin and diphenylcarbonate (1:4 and 1:8) demonstrated that the ability of NSs to entrap and release the drug molecules depends on the crosslinking between the cyclodextrin monomers. Finally, irradiation assays using a continuous laser of 532 nm showed that photothermal drug release of both MPH and CYT from the cavities of NSs via plasmonic heating of AuNPs is possible.

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A novel, bio-derived cyclodextrin-based trifunctional adsorbent has been successfully synthesized for efficient, rapid and simultaneous removal of a broad-spectrum of toxic ionic (anionic and cationic dyes) and non-ionic organic pollutants from water. The composition, morphology and the presence of functional groups in the obtained sorption material were characterized by elemental analysis, XRD, SEM, and FTIR spectroscopy. The adsorption results were represented by cationic dye (crystal violet, CV) and endocrine disrupting compound (bisphenol A, BPA) as an adsorbate. The sorption processes of the model pollutants were studied with both kinetic and equilibrium models. The results showed that the sorption was rapid (less than 1 min) and the time evolution could be fitted using a pseudo-second order model. According to Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacities were found at 113.64 and 43.10 mg g-1 for BPA and CV, respectively. The adsorption ability of ß-CDPs was kept nearly on the same level after five regeneration cycles. Furthermore, almost complete removal of the pollutants was observed during the treatment of real effluents samples thus the bio-derived, cheap and reusable BAN-EPI-CDP has a promising potential for practical applications.

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This study is aimed to validate water-insoluble cyclodextrin-epichlorohydrin polymer (ß-EPI) use to remove, by adsorption, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) from water and then release it via an environmentally friendly treatment so that the adsorbent can be recycled according to one of the objectives of the European Project Life "Clean up" (LIFE 16 ENV/ES/000169). SMX adsorption experiments on ß-EPI polymer in-batch were performed, varying different experimental parameters of the process, such as contact time, pH values, and so on. The adsorption process, exothermic and driven by enthalpy, occurs both through the formation of inclusion and association complexes, involves mainly hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, has a rate-controlling step depending on both pollutant concentration and adsorbent dose and can be described by the Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich models which confirm the polymer surface heterogeneity and the physical nature of the adsorption. The presence of salts gives rise to a general decrease in the SMX sorption, mainly in the case of bromide, which was used to promote the SMX desorption and regenerate the adsorbent. The overall results indicate that ß-EPI polymer is not only capable of removing SMX by adsorption with short contact times and a qmax = 10 mg/g but it is also easily regenerated using a 0.5 M solution of sodium bromide without any loss in the adsorption performance and with obvious economic and environmental advantages. The polymer as synthesized, with SMX adsorbed and regenerated was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and DSC.

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