Study of Metal Ion Removal from Aqueous Systems Using Magnetic Nanostructures Based on Functionalized Poly(Benzofuran-co-Arylacetic Acid)

Abstract

Metal pollution has become a worldwide problem, mainly because of the toxicity, effects on living organisms, and the impact on the food chain and the quality of drinking water. Researchers have been focusing on developing new materials through green chemistry methods in order to remove these pollutants from the environment. In the recent decades, due to their unique properties, magnetic nanostructures containing functionalized polymers as shells have been demonstrated to be useful in water and wastewater treatment for this application. In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of hybrid magnetic core-shell nanostructures including magnetite as the inorganic core and poly(benzofuran-co-arylacetic acid) functionalized with Nα, Nα’–bis(carboxymethyl)-L-lysine as the organic shell. These nanomaterials were used in the adsorption of different metal ions from aqueous solutions and contaminated water samples collected from Roșia River (Roșia Montană, Romania), representing attractive alternatives for water and/or wastewater treatment. The properties of the magnetic hybrid nanostructures were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), magnetization measurements. The heavy metal concentrations in aqueous solutions were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).