Ion transport studies in calcium alginate gels by magnetic resonance microscopy

Polyelectrolyte biopolymers such as calcium alginate are becoming increasingly important for the recovery of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. To understand the mechanism of ion transport in these biopolymer systems, the transport of copper ions into calcium alginate gels was investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microscopy. Copper ion transport was imaged using an inversion recovery technique which utilizes the paramagnetic effect of copper on water proton relaxation times. Diffusion experiments were performed in a diffusion cell designed to approximate a semi-infinite slab geometry at temperatures between 278 and 313 K using copper reservoir concentrations between 10 and 60 mM. The diffusion coefficient of copper in these gels was calculated from the NMR data to fit a combined diffusion-reaction model involving a diffusion term (D) and a kinetic binding term (k). At 23 degrees C, the diffusion coefficients in 1, 2, and 3% (w/v) gels were 3.1 x 10(10), 2.0 x 10(10), and 1.4 x 10(10) m2/s, respectively. The activation energy for diffusion in the 2% (w/v) gel was 28 kJ/mol.