Multi-principles analysis of Cu(II) adsorption in water on magnetic microspheres and modified Chitosan

In this study, magnetic composite microspheres (SCFP) were prepared by cross-linking chitosan (CS), sodium alginate (SA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and ferric tetraoxide (Fe3O4) in a CaCl2 solution. CS and Fe3O4 were encapsulated in gel spheres formed by cross-linking SA with Ca(II), while PVA facilitated the dispersion of CS in SA. SCFP was utilized as an adsorbent to remove Cu(II) from water. The effects of the initial pH of the solution, SCFP dosage, and initial Cu(II) concentration on the adsorption efficiency were investigated through batch experiments. The results demonstrated that the adsorption capacity reached 58.260 mg/g (removal rate = 97.1%) after 100 min of adsorption at a pH of 5. The removal rate remained above 90% even after 6 cycles of the cycling experiment. The incorporation of CS with other functional materials allowed SCFP to compensate for its inherent drawbacks such as low mechanical strength, poor acid resistance, and short service life. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm provided better descriptions of the adsorption process. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the structure and adsorption mechanism of SCFP using characterization techniques such as SEM-EDS, FTIR, BET, XRD, etc. In summary, SCFP has the potential to be an excellent environmentally friendly material for the removal of Cu(II).