Selective recovery of mercury by Procion Brown MX 5BR immobilized poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate/chitosan) composite membranes

Metal chelating membranes have advantages as adsorbents in comparison to conventional microspheres or beads because they are not compressible and they considerably eliminate internal diffusion limitations. The aim of this communication was to explore in detail the performance of Procion Brown MX 5BR immobilized poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate/chitosan) composite membranes, (also called interpenetrating network, IPN, membranes) for removal of three toxic heavy metal ions, namely, Cd(II), Pb(II) and Hg(II) from aquatic systems. The composite membranes were characterized by elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The incorporated amount of the Procion Brown NIX 5BR was calculated. as 0.036 mumol/cm(2) from the nitrogen and sulphur stoichiometry. The adsorption capacity for selected heavy metal ions from aqueous media containing different amounts of these ions (30-400 mg/L) and at different pH values (2.0-6.0) was investigated. Adsorption capacity of the membranes increased with time during the first 45 min and then levelled off toward the equilibrium adsorption. The maximum amounts of heavy metal ions adsorbed were found as 18.5, 22.7 and 68.8 mg/g for Cd(H), Pb(H) and Hg(H), respectively. Competitive adsorption of the metal ions was also studied. When the metal ions competed, the adsorbed amounts were found as 1.8 mg Cd(II)/g, 2.2 mg Pb(II)/g and 52.6 mg Hg(II)/g. Under competitive conditions, the system showed a very high selectivity for Hg(H) ions. The membrane can be regenerated by washing with a solution of nitric acid (0.01 M). The desorption ratio achieved was as high as 95%. These membranes are suitable for repeated use for more than five adsorption/desorption cycles without any considerable loss in adsorption capacity. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.