Removal of Cr(VI) and Ag(I) by grafted magnetic zeolite/chitosan for water purification: Synthesis and adsorption mechanism

Abstract

In this paper, a novel grafted zeolite/Fe3O4/chitosan (ZMC-MAH-TEPA) adsorbent was greenly synthesized and evaluated for the removal of Cr(VI) and Ag(I) in single and bi-component solutions. The characterization data of XRF, XRD, FT-IR, VSM, TGA, BET and SEM showed the successful fabrication of the adsorbent with abundant -NH2 and -NH- as well as great recovery properties (11.70 emu/g). The effects of experimental parameters, including pH value, initial concentration, temperature, time, and coexisting ions on single and bi-component adsorption, were investigated. The results demonstrated that the adsorption capacities increased with the enhanced shaking time and concentration until equilibrium was reached. The optimum pH value was 3 for Cr(VI) adsorption and 5 for Ag(I) adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities for Cr(VI) and Ag(I) ions, obtained by the Langmuir model, were 50.75 and 70.12 mg·g−1 in single metal solutions and 45.45 and 58.94 mg·g−1 in bi-component metal solutions (Cr(VI)/Ag(I) = 1:1), respectively. Additionally, the adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) and Ag(I) was explained in terms of electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding between metal ions and -NH2 and -NH- in ZMC-MAH-TEPA. Taken together, this study provides a clean approach to synthesizing chitosan-based adsorbents for the efficient removal of Cr(VI) and Ag(I) ions.