Chemically Modified Cellulose Filter Paper for Heavy Metal Remediation in Water

A chemically modified cellulose filter paper with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is described as a device for metal remediation. This new material was prepared by esterification of the paper with EDTA dianhydride. The high hydrophilicity of cellulose paper associated with the strong chelating properties of the EDTA moieties for metals allow the treatment of water samples containing various metal cations, including Ag(I), Pb(II), Ni(II), Sn(II), and Cu(II), with 90-95% removal efficiency. The mechanism of adsorption was deeply studied with the support of kinetic experiments and adsorption isotherms. As a practical feature, one can note that the cellulose EDTA material works at a wide range of pH values and can be used either as a solid adsorbent or a membrane for continuous wastewater treatment.