Harnessing of Newly Tailored Poly (Acrylonitrile)-Starch Nanoparticle Graft Copolymer for Copper Ion Removal via Oximation Reaction

Abstract Our recently tailored and fully characterized poly (AN)-starch nanoparticle graft copolymer having 60.1 G.Y. % was used as a starting substrate for copper ions removal from waste water effluent after chemical modification with hydroxyl amine via oximation reaction. This was done to change the abundant nitrile groups in the above copolymer into amidoxime one and the resultant poly (amidoxime) resin was used as adsorbent for copper ions. The resin was characterized qualitatively via rapid vanadium ion test and instrumentally by FT-IR spectra and SEM morphological analysis to confirm the presence of amidoxime groups. The adsorption capacity of the resin was done using the batch technique, whereas the residual copper ions content in the filtrate before and after adsorption was measured using atomic adsorption spectrometry. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of poly (amidoxime) resin was 115.2 mg/g at pH 7, 400ppm copper ions concentration and 0.25 g adsorbent at room temperature. The adsorption, kinetics and isothermal study of the process is scrutinized using different variables, such as pH, contact time, copper ion concentration and adsorbent dosage. Different kinetics models comprising the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order have been applied to the experimental data to envisage the adsorption kinetics. It was found from kinetic study that pseudo-second-order rate equation was better than pseudo-first-order supporting the formation of chemisorption process. While, in case of isothermal study, the examination of calculated correlation coefficient (R2) values showed that the Langmuir model provide the best fit to experimental data than Freundlich one.