Synthesis of melamine (ME) imprinted polymeric sorbent for use as solid phase extraction adsorbent was targeted and the benefits of the synthesis in the monolith format were combined with imprinting technology advantages. Melamine as template and 2-vinylimidazole-Cu2+ as complexing agent were used as the first time for pre-complex formation, followed by the preparation of monolith by bulk polymerization method in the presence of ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker, azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator, and ethyl alcohol as solvent for a duration of 4 h at 80 degrees C. 1.0 M NaOH solution was used as a desorption agent to remove template. Non imprinted monolith (NIP) were synthesized as a control without template in same receipt. The monolith samples were characterized by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FDR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), elementary analysis, and Branauer- Emmett- Teller (BET) studies. Melamine adsorption from aqueous solution was studied in continuous mode, and some parameters such as pH, temperature, concentration and flow-rate were optimized for melamine adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities were determined as 147.9 mg/g for imprinted polymer (MIP), 82.0 mg/g for non-imprinted polymer (NIP) and 4.0 mg/g for polymer without pre-complex (E) at 25 degrees C, and pH 5.0 with 500 ppm melamine initial concentration for 1.0 mL/min flow-rate. In addition to interaction characterized by metal coordination bond formation, non- c ovalent interactions were responsible for melamine adsorption. No significant change in adsorption performance was recorded after 10 consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles. Kinetic analysis indicated compliance with pseudo-second order kinetics. The Freundlich isotherm was found suitable for description of the process. Cyanuric add (CY), aniline (AN), and phenol (PH) were used as competing agents in selectivity studies, and relative selectivity coefficients were calculated (k'(CY) = 4.45; k'(AN) = 7.08; k'(pH) = 3.98). The performance of melamine imprinted polymeric monolith (MIP) as solid-phase extraction adsorbent for extraction of melamine from milk samples was investigated and the recovery of melamine in spiked milk samples was 97.6% with the relative standard deviation (RSD) (8.1%). (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved,