Graft copolymerization of Chitosan with acrylic acid used in waste water treatment

Environment is deteriorating day by day due to industrial pollution, toxic chemicals leads to the accumulation of heavy metals contamination in the waste water. The waste water polluted by these effluents disturbs the normal use of water for agriculture, aquatic life. The purity and quality of water is a basic concern to mankind. So these effluents must be treated. Natural biopolymers are industrially attractive because of their capability of removing the metal-ions present in the waste water. Among the many other low cost absorbents identified chitosan has the highest sorption capacity for several metal ions (Deshpande, 1986). The use of biosorbent chitosan makes it possible to remove both heavy metals and organic compounds. Chitin, chitosan, acrylic acid polymers are individually used for waste water treatment due to biocompatibility and inexpensive. In the present study, graft copolymer of chitosan with acrylic acid polymer has been synthesized using ceric ammonium nitrate, nitric acid redox system under UV irradiation. The synthesized copolymer was subjected to various analytical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confrrm the formation of copolymer. The grafted copolymer was analyzed and proved with FTIR and DSC. The SEM results show the formation and strong chemical interaction between chitosan and acrylic acid. The prepared graft copolymer was treated with metal solutions containing copper, chromium and the results revealed that the copolymer prepared was excellent in removing the heavy metals like copper, chromium, etc. Hence, chitosan-g-acrylic acid copolymer could open way for waste water treatment in industrial level.