Chitosan - a natural adsorbent for copper ions

Abstract

As a result of industrial activities and technological changes, a high and continuously increasing amount of heavy metals and heavy metal containing effluents are released into the environment by different industrial nations. These metals cannot be degraded. Furthermore, because of their toxicity, they are highly detrimental to the environment and human health. Heavy metals accumulate in the food chain and become permanent pollutants in the environment. In the human body they accumulate in different organs causing serious damage. To overcome this problem, the adsorption behaviour of heavy metal ions, in particular copper ions was investigated by apply chitosan flakes, powder, and beads as a natural adsorbent. Metal removal was studied using adsorbance measurements, SEM-EDX, and size measurements. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was determined at different concentration and times. The received adsorption capacities for copper ions were very promising, with a maximum value of 150 mg/g on chitosan powder.