Novel recycled PET/tannin nanofibers for effective removal of lead(II) from water

Abstract

The pollution of water by hazardous metals such as lead(II) and the growing generation of polymeric wastes such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are critical global concerns. Thus, new recycled PET nanofibers functionalized with tannin were applied in the removal of lead(II) from water by adsorption. PET was collected from post-consumer water bottles and obtained as nanofibers by centrifugal spinning. The characterization performed on the nanofibers showed average diameters of 188 nm and functional groups adequate for lead(II) adsorption. Under the adsorption conditions tested, lead(II) adsorption was favored at pH 6 and 328 K, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 350.81 mg g−1. The kinetic data was better represented by the pseudo-first order model. The equilibrium data was better represented by the Sips model. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the process was spontaneous, favorable, and endothermic. The nanofibers kept 45.20 % of their original adsorption capacity after four cycles of adsorption–desorption. The results indicated that the recycled PET/tannin nanofibers are a great alternative as lead(II) adsorbent. They are also an environmentally friendly option for the transformation of an abundant post-consumer polymer into a versatile nanomaterial functionalized with a sustainable biopolymer.