Availability of Carboxylated Magnetic Beads for Extracting Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

It was examined in this study that magnetic beads, which are assumed to be environmentally functional, could be effective in processing heavy metals that are water pollutants. For the purpose, magnetic beads containing carboxyl groups, which has strong binding force with heavy metals, are mixed with each Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cr(III) solution, then stirred in pH 6. As a results of the process, it was proven that heavy metals bind quickly with magnetic beads through the reaction. In order to analyze heavy metal concentration, magnetic beads bind with heavy metal were collected by external magnetic force and dissolved in acid. The graphite furnace AAS was used to get heavy metal concentration melted in the acid solution. The results showed that heavy metal extractions by magnetic beads were influenced by the type and the concentration of a heavy metal, and over 90% of a heavy metal can be extracted in ppm level save for Cr(III). It was also examined in the study whether heavy metal extraction is influenced when other ions exist in each heavy metal solution. According to experiment, adding other heavy metals to a solution did have little influence on extracting an intended heavy metal. But in case salt or heavy metal chelate was added, Ni extraction changed sensitively although extracting other heavy metals were influenced only when the concentration of an added substance is high. In conclusion, it was shown that magnetic beads could be used to treat wastewater with relatively high heavy metal concentration.