Room-temperature synthesis of microporous organic network for efficient adsorption and removal of tetrabromobisphenol A from aqueous solution

Abstract

Development of energy-saving and rapid strategies to synthesize novel porous materials for efficient adsorption and removal of environmental pollutants is of great challenge and interest either in environmental science or in chemistry. Here we report a facile room temperature stirring method for rapid synthesis of microporous organic networks (MONs) with large surface area, excellent hydrophobicity, good thermal and solvent stabilities for efficient adsorption and removal of a typical brominated flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) from aqueous solution. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics, effects of pH, ionic strength, humic acid, regeneration and reusability of MONs for TBBPA were studied in detail. The adsorption of TBBPA on MONs followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir adsorption models. Rely on the good π-π and hydrophobic interaction between MONs and TBBPA, a maximum adsorption capacity of 227.3 mg g−1 was realized, which is the largest adsorption capacity for TBBPA among all the reported sorbents up to date now. The large adsorption capacity, rapid adsorption kinetics, good stability and reusability make MONs a highly potential adsorbent for TBBPA removal from aqueous solution. This work may also promote the synthesis and application of MONs in pollutants’ removal.