# Application of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in the Analysis of Waters and Wastewaters
## 5 Application of MIPs for the Detection of Different Classes of Contaminants
### Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
#### 5.4.5 Phthalic Acid Esters  
Phthalic acid esters (PAEs), also known as phthalates, are frequently used to communicate and improve the plasticity, flexibility, and durability of the items effectively, as plasticizers. PAEs are included in a variety of goods packaging, consumer products, toys, medical instruments, and construction materials [152]. PAEs can be released easily from plastic materials into the environment because they are not chemically bonded to the polymer matrix [179]. PAEs are suspected of producing human teratogenic and carcinogenic agents, including at a very low level and as a type of synthetic environmental hormone in water environments [151]. PAEs can produce reproductive toxicity for aquatic organisms and can pose a major risk to human health. Some reports showed that this compound could be classified as a pollutant that acts as an endocrine disruptor compound. Di-(2-ethylhexylphthalate) DEHP is reported to be responsible for endometriosis of females as well as for fetus, heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver effects. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) was reported to be harmful to the central nervous system as well as to embryonic environmental growth, such as changes in the expression and development toxicity of cardiac transcription, pericardial edema, and heart structural abnormalities [180]. In China, DBP and DEHP, for example, were considered to be the mostly detected in water, followed by dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate. In the USA, 147 and 50 ppb, respectively, were indicated as the highest concentrations of DEP and DBP in groundwater.  
Recently, a functional corncob biochar (F-CC\({}_{3}\)) was cast on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to produce an F-CC\({}_{3}\) film of functional corncob biochar to increase the effectiveness of the surface area,, then the electrode has been modified by molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) synthesized using chitosan as functional monomer, glutaraldehyde as the cross-linker, and DBP as the template compound [181]. The prepared sensor MIP-DBP-CTS/F-CC\({}_{3}\)/GCE showed that the use of F-CC\({}_{3}\) as inter-layer spacers efficiently inhibited chitosan (CTS) aggregation and resulted in a well-defined porous structure. This modified electrode takes advantages of the molecularly imprinted method and F-CC\({}_{3}\) biomass materials in order to achieve good selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of DBP by linear relationship in the range of the DBP concentration (0\(\sim\)1.8 \(\upmu\)M) with a detection limit of 2.6 nM.  
A novel spectroelectrochemical sensor was also presented for the detection of dioctylphthalate (DOP) [153]. Firstly, a thin layer of Cu\({}_{2}\)O was prepared on the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) by electropolymerization process, then a metal-organic framework (MOF), Cu\({}_{3}\)(BTC)\({}_{2}\), benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (BTC), was covered on Cu\({}_{2}\)O/ITO to form the heterostructure of Cu\({}_{3}\)(BTC)\({}_{2}\)@Cu\({}_{2}\)O/ITO. This structure showed a strong capacity for adsorption, high stability, and improved photocurrent under visible light radiation. This was then modified with MIP to design MIP/Cu\({}_{3}\)(BTC)\({}_{2}\)@Cu\({}_{2}\)O/ITO by using methacrylic acid as a functional monomer ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinker and 2,2'-azobisisobutyonitrile (AlBN) as an initiator. At the optimal conditions, this sensor showed a linear range from 25.0 pM to 0.1 \(\upmu\)M and an excellent detection limit of 9.15 pM.