Adsorption of Copper (II) ion onto chitosan/sisal/banana fiber hybrid composite

An investigation was made on the biosorption of Copper (II) ions onto chitosan (CS)/sisal fiber (SF)/banana fiber (BF) hybrid composite from an aqueous solution using batch adsorption studies. Chitosan/sisal/banana fiber hybrid composite were prepared by solution mixing method. The prepared composite was confirmed by FTIR, X-ray, DSC and SEM measurements. The efficiency of adsorption was evaluated by varying pH of the solution, contact time and adsorbent dose. At an optimum pH (pH=5), the maximum uptake of Cu (II) ions by CS/SF/BF composite was found to be 169 mg/g. The data were described with the help of Freundlich, Langmuir, Tempkin, Dubinin – Radushkevich, isotherm models. It was found that the Freundlich isotherm model provided the best fit for the adsorption of Cu (II) ion. The obtained kinetic datas were tested by pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion models. From the Kinetic studies pseudo-second order reaction was well fitted to the data. Studies also showed adsorption proceeds through the intra-particle diffusion mechanism. This current work suggests that chitosan/sisal/banana fiber hybrid composite was highly economic and efficient in removing the copper (II) ions from aqueous solution.