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Due to the rapid development of industry and associated production of toxic waste, especially heavy metals, there is a great interest in creating and upgrading new sorption materials to remove these pollutants from the environment. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of different carbon forms (graphene, expanded carbon, multi-wall nanotubes) and paramagnetic particles (Fe2O3) for adsorption of cadmium(II), lead(II), and copper(II) on its surface, with different interaction time from 1 min to 24 h. The main attention is paid to the detection of these metals using differential pulse voltammetry. Based on the obtained results, graphene and Fe2O3 are found to be good candidates for removal of heavy metals from the environment.

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Influence of total surface area of core material on yield of deposited coacervate was evaluated. A simple coacervation method was employed solvent-evaporation method were used as a model core substance. A mixed polymer system--aqueous solution of gelatin and potassium salt of cellulose acetate phthalate--was used as a wall material. A sodium sulphate solution acted as a desolvating agent. Results obtained clearly show an opposite effect of the size of core material and derived total surface area on the yield of attached coacervate. While keeping the amount of core material constant, the amount of deposited coacervate increased both with the decreased size of core particles (increased total surface area), and increased concentration of desolvating agent. The proportion of wall material gradually increases with the increased concentration of sodium sulphate solution in the range from 1 to 9 per cent of the weight of microcapsules. Analysis of variance was used for the evaluation of obtained data.

Light microscopy has been used for the evaluation of the internal and external structure of dry microcapsules. The method involves surface and penetrative staining with various dyes after which the microcapsules were embedded in suitable optically translucent material. Using this method the core material, its shape and position within the microcapsules either in total or as subunits of the core are clearly distinguishable from the wall material. The surface characteristics of the microcapsules can be observed with either light or fluorescent microscopy after staining with a fluorescent dye. Furthermore, it is a relatively simple and inexpensive method by comparison with the scanning electron microscopy. The natural character of microcapsules, without any artificial structures, has been maintained. It could serve as a routine auxiliary method for complex evaluation or control of the microencapsulation process and its optimization.