Adsorption of Cr(III) from aqueous solutions by polyacrylamide-grafted rubberwood fibre: Kinetics, equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies

Abstract

Cr(III) ions were adsorbed onto polyacrylamide-grafted rubberwood fibre, and effects of aqueous conditions were evaluated. The adsorbent was prepared via graft copolymerization of acrylamide (Am) onto rubberwood fibre (RWF), using ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the formation of PAm-g-RWF. Various variables affecting the adsorption capacity such as the pH of the solution, adsorption time, initial metal ion concentration, and temperature were investigated. The Cr(III) was up to 92% removed by PAm-g-RWF from an initial concentration of 10 mg/L at pH 5.0. Kinetic data fitted very well to a pseudo-second-order rate expression and less well to a pseudo-first-order equation. The equilibrium parameters for adsorption isotherms of the metal ions on the grafted fibre were obtained using Langmuir and Freundlich models, and the Langmuir model was found to be in better correlation with the experimental data with a maximum adsorption capacity of 18.24 mg/g. Thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy change (ΔH°), free energy change (ΔG°), and entropy change (ΔS°) were calculated; the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic.