Chitosan Hydrogel Beads Supported with Ceria for Boron Removal

In this study, a chitosan hydrogel supported with ceria (labelled Ce-CTS) was prepared by an encapsulation technique and used for the efficient removal of excess B(III) from aqueous solutions. The functionalisation of chitosan with Ce(IV) and the improvement in the adsorptive behaviour of the hydrogel were determined by SEM-EDS, FTIR, XRD, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) analyses and discussed. The results demonstrate that Ce-CTS removes boric acid from aqueous solutions more efficiently than either cerium dioxide hydrate or raw chitosan beads, the precursors of the Ce-CTS biosorbent. The maximum adsorption capacity of 13.5 ± 0.9 mg/g was achieved at pH 7 after 24 h. The equilibrium data of boron adsorption on Ce-CTS fitted the Freundlich isotherm model, while the kinetic data followed the Elovich pseudo-second-order model, which indicated that the process was non-homogeneous. The dominant mechanism of removal was the reaction between boric acid molecules and hydroxyl groups bound to the ceria chelated by chitosan active centres. Due to its high efficiency in removing boron, good regeneration capacity and convenient form, Ce-CTS may be considered a promising biosorbent in water purification.