Selective Adsorption and Determination of Hexavalent Chromium in Water Samples by Chemically Modified Activated Carbon with Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

Abstract

This study introduces a sensitive and simple method for selective adsorption of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), from water samples prior to its determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The method utilized activated carbon modified with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (AC-TRIS) as an adsorbent. Surface properties of the new chemically modified AC-TRIS phase were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Seven metal ions, including Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI), and Fe(III) were evaluated and determined at different pH values (1.0–8.0), except for Fe(III) at pH values (1.0–4.0). Based on the results of the effect of pH on adsorption of these metal ions on AC-TRIS, Cr(VI) was selected for the study of other parameters controlling its maximum uptake on AC-TRIS under batch conditions and at the optimum pH value 1.0. The maximum static adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) onto the AC-TRIS was found to be 43.30 mg g−1 at this pH and after 1 hour contact time. The adsorption data of Cr(VI) were modeled using both Langmuir and Freundlich classical adsorption isotherms. Results demonstrated that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto AC-TRIS followed a pseudo second-order kinetic model. In addition, the efficiency of this methodology was confirmed by applying it to real environmental water samples.