New efficient chitosan derivative for Cu(II) ions removal: Characterization and adsorption performance

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Chitosan is a biopolymer with potential for heavy metal removal.
• Modification of chitosan can enhance its adsorption properties.
• Methyl methacrylate grafting offers a route to improved adsorbent performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a new adsorbent material based on crosslinked chitosan.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the synthesized adsorbent for Cu(II) ion removal.
• To investigate the adsorption mechanism and reusability of the adsorbent.

Main Methods:

• Free radical polymerization was used to graft methyl methacrylate onto crosslinked chitosan.
• Batch adsorption experiments were conducted varying pH, initial concentration, and contact time.
• Adsorption isotherms and kinetics were analyzed using Langmuir and pseudo-second order models.

Main Results:

• The synthesized methyl methacrylate-grafted chitosan (M-CTS) exhibited high grafting (201%) and yield (67%) percentages.
• The maximum adsorption capacity for Cu(II) ions was 192.31 mg g⁻¹ at pH 4.
• Adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetics, indicating chemisorption.
• The M-CTS adsorbent demonstrated excellent reusability over six cycles.

Conclusions:

• Methyl methacrylate-grafted chitosan (M-CTS) is a highly effective and durable adsorbent for Cu(II) ion removal.
• The adsorbent's performance is well-described by Langmuir and pseudo-second order models.
• M-CTS shows significant promise for applications in wastewater treatment and metal ion remediation.