Abstract
We synthesized a novel poly acrylic acid–organobentonite (PAA–Bent) nanocomposite by successive intercalation of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) surfactant and polyacrylic acid (PAA) into the bentonite (Bent) interlayer spaces. The surfactant-modified clay (CTA–Bent) and PAA–Bent nanocomposite were characterized by XRD and FT-IR techniques and used for removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution. The XRD results confirmed the intercalation of CTA and PAA into the interlayer spaces of the bentonite increasing the d 001 spacing of the clay from 12.2 up to 38.9 Å. FT-IR analysis of the modified clay samples revealed the functional groups of CTA and PAA constituents alighted on the bentonite surfaces. Maximum Pb sorption capacity of the Bent and PAA–Bent predicted by Langmuir model were 52.3 and 93.0 mg g−1, respectively, showing that the synthesized nanocomposite superiorly adsorbed Pb from the solution as compared to the Bent. The maximum Pb removal efficiency of 99.6 % was achieved by the nanocomposite at 25 °C with <30 min contact time for a 7.5 g L−1 solid-to-liquid ratio and an initial metal concentration of 400 mg L−1. The results indicated that PAA–Bent nanocomposite can be efficiently used as a superadsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution.
Highlights
Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic and encountered metals released into the environment through various industrial activities, consumer products, and waste disposal
X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the Bent, CTAB– Bent and polyacrylic acid (PAA)–Bent are presented in Fig. 1, showing that the Bent mainly consisted of montmorillonite
A polyacrylic acid–organobentonite nanocomposite (PAA–Bent) was synthesized, characterized and its performance was tested for the sorption of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions
Summary
Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic and encountered metals released into the environment through various industrial activities, consumer products, and waste disposal. Lead exposure is estimated to account for up to 3 % of the human burden of disease attributable to controllable environmental risk factors, and children are vulnerable to the detrimental health impacts, including cognitive impairment, anemia, kidney malfunction, mental retardation, and cardiovascular disease (ATSDR 2007; Milovantseva and Ogunseitan 2011; Saleh and Gupta 2012). Elevated levels of Pb in surface waters may be originated from deposits of atmospheric dust, industrial wastewater, urban runoff, and mine tailings (Chern et al 2007). Removal of Pb from the polluted waters and wastewaters is, important in terms of protection of the public and environmental health. Traditional metal-removal techniques from water such as precipitation, oxidation, reduction, electrochemical treatment, reverse osmosis, solvent extraction, ion-exchange and evaporation are mostly expensive and difficult to apply (Ozcan et al 2009; Appl Water Sci (2016) 6:331–338
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