Preparation of porous phosphine oxide-incorporated polymer membranes for selective removal of p-cresol from simulated serum: A preliminary study

•Novel porous extractant-incorporated membranes (EIMs) were prepared via non-solvent induced phase inversion.•The neutral extractant tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) was incorporated in cellulose triacetate membrane.•The as-prepared EIMs were applied for selective removal of p-cresol from a simulated serum mixture.•The mechanism of hydrogen bonding formation between p-cresol and as-prepared EIMs was confirmed.