| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to develop polymeric chemisorbents with a high density of ninhydrin groups, able to covalently bind urea under physiological conditions and thus potentially suitable for use in a wearable artificial kidney. Macroporous beads are prepared by suspension polymerization of 5‐vinyl‐1‐indanone (vinylindanone) using a 90:10 (v/v) mixture of toluene and nitrobenzene as a porogen. The indanone groups are subsequently oxidized in a one‐step procedure into ninhydrin groups. Their urea absorption kinetics are evaluated under both static and dynamic conditions at 37 °C in simulated dialysate (urea in phosphate buffered saline). Under static conditions and at a 1:1 molar ratio of ninhydrin: urea the sorbent beads remove ≈0.6–0.7 mmol g?1 and under dynamic conditions and at a 2:1 molar excess of ninhydrin ≈0.6 mmol urea g?1 sorbent in 8 h at 37 °C, which is a step toward a wearable artificial kidney. |
