Surface modified silica gel for extraction of metal ions: an environment friendly method for waster treatment

摘要

A surface modified silica gel chelating resin was synthesised by immobilising tetracycline (TCN) on the surface of modified silica gel to produce a granular sorbent for the adsorption and estimation of copper, nickel and cadmium. Metal ions were quantitatively retained on the column" packed with immobilised silica gel in the pH ranges of 5-0-6-5 for Cu, 6-8-7-8 for Ni and 6-6-7-8 for Cd. The distribution coefficient D determined for each metal ion was as follows (ml g~(-1)): Cu, 2-45 x 10~(-2); Ni, 1-84x 10~(-2); Cd, 2-33 x 10~(-2). Methods have been developed to determine copper, nickel and cadmium in steel, medicine tablets, alloys and river water samples. Molecular modelling studies were also performed on TCN-imobilised silica gel for gaining an insight into the active structure of TCN on the silica surface.