Photoresponsive Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Highly Selective Solid‐Phase Extraction and Light‐Controlled Release of Sulfamethazine

ABSTRACT The widespread contamination of water by sulfamethazine (SMZ) poses risks to ecosystems and public health. Herein, we develop photoresponsive magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (Fe 3 O 4 @MIPs) featuring a magnetic Fe 3 O 4 core and an azobenzene‐based functional monomer (MAPDIA). The material exhibits high selectivity for SMZ with an imprinting factor of 2.09 and a maximum adsorption capacity of 25.06 mg·g −1 . Adsorption follows the Langmuir isotherm, indicating homogeneous monolayer binding, and reaches equilibrium within 60 min. Leveraging the reversible trans – cis photoisomerization of azobenzene under alternating 365 and 440 nm irradiation, the polymer enables light‐controlled uptake and release of SMZ with good reversibility over multiple cycles. When applied as a sorbent for solid‐phase extraction from real environmental water samples, Fe 3 O 4 @MIPs provide SMZ recoveries ranging from 88.5% to 95.7%, demonstrating their potential for smart antibiotic monitoring and remediation.