Modified Macroporous Polystyrene Matrices as Highly Efficient Adsorption Material for Cyanobacteria Control

Excessive cyanobacterial growth in eutrophic water sources is a serious environmental problem. Physical adsorption has been reported as an efficient method for cyanobacterial control, but organic polymers as adsorption materials were seldom used. Macroporous organic polymer materials have been prepared with the template method for cyanobacterial control. Maleic anhydride (MAn)/Vinyl acetate (VAc) copolymer microspheres were chosen as templates. The unreacted maleic anhydride on the surface of microspheres polymerized with styrene (St), and then the nano-scale macroporous polystyrene matrices were obtained after removal of the templates. For the improvements of the cyanobacterial adsorption efficiency of the macroporous materials, two improvements were made: 1) coating nano-TiO2 on the surface of macroporous polystyrene matrixes; 2) St was replaced by 4-vinyl phenol totally or partially in the course of polymerization.