Facile Ionic-Liquid-Assisted Synthesis of Nanopowder Ammonium Cadmium Phosphate with Highly Efficient Lead-Ion Removal from Glucose Solution

Heavy-metal uptake by plants growing in contaminated soil poses a potential harm to human health because of its transition into the food chain, and the removal of heavy metals from beverages has attracted considerable attention. In the present article, a facile ionic-liquid-assisted synthesis of nanopowder ammonium cadmium phosphate (NPACP) using an ionic liquid with a large anion, namely, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetraphenylborate, [BMIM][BPh4], as a template is reported. This simple one-step method can suitably be scaled up for large-scale synthesis. The adsorption properties of the nanopowder were evaluated, NPACP was used as an adsorbent for lead ions from glucose solution, and it was found that NPACP has excellent adsorption properties for Pb(II). The feasibility of using NPACP for lead removal was confirmed, and the film diffusion mechanism was found to dominate the adsorption process of Pb(II) ions on NPACP. Its adsorption kinetics were modeled by a pseudo-second-order rate equation. Therefore, the present research work has provided an effective method for lead-ion removal from drinks, and NPACP can be used as a promising adsorbent with high efficiency for heavy-metal-ion uptake in the beverage industry.