Molecularly imprinted polymeric membranes (MIPMs) were prepared from cellulose and 1,2- dihydroxybenzene as a print molecule with imprinting ratio of 0.5 and 1.0. Those membranes were applied to the separation of xylene isomers by pervaporation. The molecularly imprinted membranes selectively incorporated o-xylene from o-/m- and o-/p- mixtures at a low o-xylene concentration region, the adsorption selectivity toward o-xylene was determined to be 7.15 and 4.24, respectively, implying that 1,2-dihydroxybenzene worked well as the print molecule for o-xylene recognition; the pervaporation was carried out at 40 degrees C and at the downstream pressure of 0.5 kPa and showed permselectivity toward o-xylene at low o-xylene concentrations while toward m- and p-xylene at high o-xylene concentrations. The molecularly imprinted membranes gave higher flux than the control non-imprinted membrane. The results obtained in the present study revealed that molecular imprinting is one of promising methods to prepare separation membranes for pervaporation. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.