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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics with Biocompatible Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Microspheres
Published on: June 7, 2024
Highly efficient removal of copper ions from water by using a novel alginate-polyethyleneimine hybrid aerogel
Min Wang1, Qi Yang1, Xiuqin Zhao1
1College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246133, China.
Abstract:
In this study, a novel alginate-polyethyleneimine hybrid aerogel (Alg-PEI) that could remove Cu2+ from wastewater was prepared by using a simple one-step synthesis and vacuum freeze-drying technology. As-prepared Alg-PEI exhibited high affinity and selectivity toward Cu2+ and could take up 95.1% of the Cu2+ in a 0.1 mM Cu2+ solution. The selectivity coefficients of Alg-PEI for Cu2+ exceeded 10 even in the presence of Co2+, Fe2+, Cr3+, or Cd2+. The maximum adsorption capacity of the Alg-PEI for Cu2+ reached 214.4 mg/g, which is higher than that of most reported Cu2+-sorbents. Moreover, Alg-PEI could be regenerated by simple acid-washing and used repeatedly. Analysis of the adsorption mechanism of the aerogel revealed that Alg-PEI binds Cu2+ mainly through ion exchange and chemical coordination effects.
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