Adsorption study of lead(II) ions on poly(methyl methacrylate) waste material

Abstract

The sorption of Pb2+ from solution by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) waste has been investigated. The morphological characterization of the collected PMMA polymer were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic batch adsorption experiments of Pb2+ on the PMMA waste samples were carried out. This study enabled the determination of the concentration, time and temperature effects, respectively on the adsorption properties of the PMMA polymer. The morphological image of the PMMA polymer showed the presence of irregular small size particles that indicated a high surface which is therefore possible to facilitate sorption. The reaction kinetics of the adsorption studies of Pb2+ by the polymer followed a second-order rate process. The results indicated that the adsorbent, PMMA, proved to be an effective material for the treatment of lead contaminated water solution. The thermodynamic studies suggested a reaction that favoured a relatively low temperature (low energy) sorption that is exothermically controlled with a physisorption mechanism.