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A promising composite adsorbent of activated carbon and natural alginate for Cu(II) ion removal from aqueous solutions

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Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) is a versatile and extensively employed adsorbent in environmental remediation. It possesses distinct properties that can be enhanced to selectively target specific pollutants through modifications, including chemical impregnation or incorporation into composite materials. In this study, porous calcium alginate beads (PCAB) were synthesized by incorporating AC and natural alginate through ion gelation in a Ca(II) ion-containing solution, with the addition of sodium lauryl sulfate as a surfactant. The prepared PCAB was tested for Cu(II) removal. PCAB exhibited a spherical shape with higher porosity and surface area (160.19 m2.g−1) compared to calcium alginate beads (CAB) (0.04 m2.g−1). The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-first-order model for PCAB and the pseudo-second-order model for CAB. The Langmuir isotherm model provided the best fit for adsorption on PCAB, while the Freundlich model was suitable for CAB. Notably, PCAB demonstrated a maximum adsorption capacity of 75.54 mg.g−1, significantly higher than CAB's capacity of 9.16 mg.g−1. Desorption studies demonstrated that 0.1 M CaCl2 exhibited the highest efficiency (90%) in desorbing Cu(II) ions from PCAB, followed by 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M NaCl. PCAB showed efficient reusability for up to four consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles. The fixed-bed column experiment confirmed the match with the Thomas model to the breakthrough curves with qTH of 120.12 mg.g−1 and 68.03 mg.g−1 at a flow rate of 1 mL.min−1 and 2 mL.min−1, respectively. This study indicated that PCAB could be an effective adsorbent for Cu(II) removal, offering insights for further application and design considerations.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology under the grant numbers “VAST.03.05/21-22” and “QTBY01.04/21-22”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Tropical Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Xuan Minh Vu, Thi My Hanh Le, Van Cuong Bui, Tuan Dung Nguyen, Dai Lam Tran & Thi Lan Pham

  2. Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems, Belarusian State University, Prasp. Niezaliežnasci 4, 220000, Minsk, Belarus

    D. D. Hrynshpan

  3. Center for Advanced Chemistry, Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Da Nang, 550000, Vietnam

    Van Thuan Le

  4. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Duy Tan University, 03 Quang Trung, Da Nang City, 550000, Vietnam

    Van Thuan Le

  5. University of Economics and Technology for Industries (UNETI), 456, Minh Khai, Vinh Tuy, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Thi Phuong Lan Nguyen

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  1. Xuan Minh Vu
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Vu, X.M., Le, T.M.H., Bui, V.C. et al. A promising composite adsorbent of activated carbon and natural alginate for Cu(II) ion removal from aqueous solutions. Carbon Lett. 34, 769–782 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-023-00598-w

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