Sorption of heavy metal ions by cellulose modified with fullerene

Abstract

Сеlulose was modifi ed by impregnation of the polymer with a solution of C 60 nanocarbon particles in ortho-xylene. Specifi c features of the sorption kinetics of Cu(II),Ni(II), and Cd(II) ions on cellulose and composite materials were researched. Pseudo-fi rst-and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were used to determine the quantitative characteristics of the process. It was demonstrated that the sorption effi ciency of metal ions on fullerene-containing cellulose substantially increases. The improvement of the sorption properties of the modifi ed polymer is due to the increase in the concentration of active sorption properties and to a change in the structure of the sorbent.Cellulose is one of the most abundant biopolymers having a permanently renewable raw material resources base and fi nds wide application in manufacture of paper, fi bers, membranes, and sorbents and in medicine and pharmaceutics. Natural cellulose materials effectively recover heavy metal ions from aqueous electrolyte solutions, exhibit selectivity, are easily regenerated, and remain operable in aqueous-organic media [1].