Environmental remediation from heavy metal pollution using polyacrylamide–grafted gum arabic, <em>Moringa oleifera</em>, and blended products of <em>Moringa oleifera</em> and polyacrylamide-grafted gum arabic

Abstract

Graft copolymers of polyacrlamide-grafted gum arabic were synthesized, blended with Moringa oleifera and characterized by IR spectroscopy. The potentials of the products to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions were studied at room temperature (30 o C) and this was experimented on iron (III) ions (Fe 3+). The extent of metal ions removal was determined from sorption capacity values of several sorbents. The results showed that all the polymeric products investigated displayed significant sorption capacities. The abilities of the grafted product polyacrylamide-grafted gum arabic (GA-g-PAAM) to clarify wastewater to a high degree and also remove heavy metals from contaminated water systems, are good indications of the importance of material transformation, especially gum arabic which is hitherto, an emulsifier, and other products of phytoorigin. The sorption capacities of the synthesized and natural products could lead to a blissful expansion of the spectrum of substances that can be used to detoxify our environment through well guided technologies.