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A Comparative Study on Hexavalent Chromium Adsorption onto Chitosan and Chitosan-Based Composites
Rachid El Kaim Billah1, Moonis Ali Khan2, Young-Kwon Park3
1Laboratory of Coordination and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chouaib Doukkali, Avenue Jabran Khalil Jabran, El Jadida 24000, Morocco.
Polymers
|October 13, 2021
Summary
Chitosan-based composites incorporating silica and hydroxyapatite effectively remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from water. The Cs-Si-Hap composite demonstrated superior adsorption capacity and faster kinetics, showing potential for water remediation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) poses significant environmental and health risks.
- Developing efficient adsorbents for Cr(VI) removal is crucial for water purification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize chitosan (Cs)-based composites (Cs-Si and Cs-Si-Hap) for hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) ion sequestration.
- To comparatively evaluate the adsorption performance of these composites for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions.
Main Methods:
- Composite synthesis involving silica and hydroxyapatite incorporation into chitosan.
- Characterization using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
- Adsorption studies evaluating parameters like pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, temperature, and coexisting ions, fitted to kinetic and isotherm models.
Main Results:
- Cs-Si and Cs-Si-Hap composites were successfully synthesized with distinct morphological and structural properties.
- Optimal Cr(VI) adsorption occurred at pH 3, with Cs-Si-Hap showing the fastest equilibration time (10 min).
- The Langmuir isotherm model best described the adsorption data, with Cs-Si-Hap exhibiting a maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of 212.8 mg/g, significantly higher than Cs (55.5 mg/g) and Cs-Si (64.4 mg/g).
Conclusions:
- Chitosan-silica-hydroxyapatite composite is a highly effective adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal.
- The developed composites demonstrate excellent thermal stability and reusability over three cycles.
- These findings highlight the potential of Cs-Si-Hap composites for practical applications in wastewater treatment.
