New cellulose-lysine Schiff-base-based sensor-adsorbent for mercury ions

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Mercury (Hg(II)) is a highly toxic environmental pollutant requiring effective detection and removal strategies.
• Developing advanced materials for simultaneous sensing and adsorption of mercury is crucial for water remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel oxidized cellulose-based Schiff base materials.
• To evaluate these materials as sensor-adsorbents for the simultaneous detection and removal of mercury ions from aqueous solutions.

Main Methods:

• Cellulose extraction from pine needles, followed by etherification, oxidation, and Schiff base modification with l-lysine.
• Characterization of the synthesized cellulose Schiff base materials.
• Analysis of mercury ion sensing using naked-eye detection and fluorescence spectroscopy.
• Adsorption studies to determine mercury removal efficiency and capacity, analyzed using kinetic and isotherm models.

Main Results:

• Synthesized cellulose Schiff base materials demonstrated efficacy as sensor-adsorbents for Hg(II).
• The Schiff base with a decyl chain (C10-O-cell-HC═N-Lys) exhibited a high maximum adsorption capacity of 258.75 mg g(-1).
• Hg(II) adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating efficient removal.

Conclusions:

• The developed cellulose Schiff base materials are promising for the simultaneous, simple, rapid, and selective detection and removal of mercury ions.
• The high adsorption capacity suggests practical applications in water purification and environmental monitoring.
• The study highlights the potential of modified cellulose in addressing mercury pollution challenges.