Spectroscopic investigation of Cu~(2+), Pb~(2+) and Cd~(2+) adsorption behaviors by chitosan-coated argillaceous limestone: Competition and mechanisms

摘要

In the present study, the competitive adsorption of Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ by a novel natural adsorbent (i.e., argillaceous limestone) modified with chitosan (C-AL) was investigated. The results demonstrated that both intraparticle diffusion and chemisorption marked significant contributions to the Cu2+ adsorption process by both raw argillaceous limestone (R-AL) and C-AL in mono-metal adsorption systems. Antagonism was found to be the predominant competitive effect for Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+ adsorptions by C-AL in the multi-metal adsorption system. The three-dimensional simulation and FTIR analysis revealed that the presence of Cu2+ suppressed Pb2+ and Cd2+ adsorptions, while the effect of Cd2+ on Cu2+ and Pb2+ adsorptions was insignificant. The spectroscopic analyses evidenced that amide groups in C-AL played a crucial role in metal adsorption. The preferential adsorptions of Pb2+ Cu2+ Cd2+ were likely due to the different affinities of the metals to the lone pair of electrons on the N atom from the amide groups and/or the O atoms from the -OH and -COO- groups on C-AL The interactions between C-AL and metal ions and between various metal species influenced their competitive adsorption behaviors. C-AL exhibited a superior metal adsorption capacity in comparison with that the capacities of other natural adsorbents reported during the last decade, suggesting its potential practical applications. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.