Bifunctionalized chitosan: A versatile adsorbent for removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution

This study describes the chemical modification of chitosan to produce a novel bifunctionalized adsorbent material (C4) for the removal of Cu2+ and oxyanions of Cr6+ from a single aqueous solution. The chemical modifications allowed C4 to be insoluble under acidic conditions, improving the chemical properties of the modified chitosan in aqueous solution. C4 adsorbent was synthesized by reaction of the amino group of chitosan with 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, a reduction of imine group, followed by esterification with EDTA dianhydride (EDTAD). C4 was characterized by solid-state C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The adsorption studies of Cu2+ and oxyanions of Cr6+ in a batch mode were evaluated as a function of the contact time (kinetics), solution pH, and initial metal ion concentration. The maximum adsorption capacities (Q(max)) of C4 for the adsorption of Cu2+ (pH 5.5) and Cr6+ (pH 2.0) were 2.60 and 3.50 mmol/g, respectively. The reusability of the recovered C4 adsorbent was also evaluated.