1Part-Time Research Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Manonmanium Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India
2Part-Time Research Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Sathyabhama University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
3Part-Time Research Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Dravidian University, Kuppam, Andra Pradesh, India
4Department of Chemistry, DKM College for Women, Ve1lore, Tamilnadu, India
*Email: parsu8@yahoo.com
Online published on 11 December, 2012.
A basic investigation on the removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from metal solution by crosslinked chitosan-g-acrylonitrile copolymer was conducted in a batch adsorption system. Graft copolymers of crosslinked chitosan (CLCS) with acrylonitrile (AN) were prepared by free radical polymerization using initiator ceric ammonium nitrate as redox system. Graft copolymerization was confirmed by FTIR, X-ray, DSC and SEM measurements. The influence of different experimental parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage and contact time were evaluated. A pH 5.0 was found to be an optimum pH for Cu(II) adsorption, meanwhile pH 5.5 was an optimum pH for the adsorption of Ni(II) onto crosslinked chitosan-gacrylonitrile copolymer. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm model was applied to describe the isotherms and isotherm constants for the adsorption of Cu(II) and Ni(II) onto crosslinked chitosan-g-acrylonitrile (CLCS-g-AN). The maximum adsorption capacities of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions onto crosslinked chitosan-g-acrylonitrile copolymer were 230.79 and 358.54 mg/g, respectively. Results showed that crosslinked chitosan-g-acrylonitrile copolymer is favourable adsorbents.
Crosslinked chitosan-g-acrylonitrile, graft copolymer, metal removal
