Synthesis of 6-cellulose-triethylenetetramine-glutaraldehyde for removal of toxic chromium from an aquatic environment

Cellulose linked with triethylenetetramine glutaraldehyde (CTG) compound was prepared from the dissolved rice husk cellulose in ionic liquid (dimethylacetamide DMAA/LiCl) by treating with p-toluenesulphonyl chloride followed by a substitution reaction with triethylenetetramine (TETA) in the presence of sodium iodide and then condensed with glutaraldehyde. The prepared CTG sample was characterized by FTIR, SEM and EDX analysis. The CTG was evaluated as a valuable material for the adsorption of toxic chromium from an aquatic environment. The maximum adsorption capacity of toxic chromium was achieved at an acidic pH value (1.5). The Freundlich isotherm model fitted to the experimental data slightly better than the Langmuir isotherm model, but both models are highly better than Temkin isotherm model, which proposes that the adsorption mechanism is heterogeneous adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) ions by CTG is 188.68 mg/g, as obtained from the Langmuir model. The adsorption process was found to follow the kinetic model of pseudo-second-order with a rate constant ranging from 1.343 to 50.795 g/mg min. The mass transfer was also studied using an intraparticle diffusion model, which revealed that as the initial Cr(VI) ions concentration increased, the diffusion fraction within the particles increased.

Automated summary

In this study, a cellulose-triethylenetetramine glutaraldehyde (CTG) compound was prepared from dissolved rice husk cellulose. The CTG was evaluated as a valuable material for the adsorption of toxic chromium from an aquatic environment, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 188.68 mg/g according to the Langmuir model. The adsorption process followed the kinetic model of pseudo-second-order, and the mechanism was identified as heterogeneous adsorption.