Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ removal by designed functionalized swelling high-charged micas

F J Osuna; E Pavón; M D Alba

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142811

Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ removal by designed functionalized swelling high-charged micas

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Apr 10:764:142811. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142811. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

Authors

F J Osuna¹, E Pavón², M D Alba³

Affiliations

¹ Instituto Ciencia de los Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Avda. Americo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, (Spain).
² Instituto Ciencia de los Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Avda. Americo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, (Spain); Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012 Sevilla, (Spain).
³ Instituto Ciencia de los Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Avda. Americo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, (Spain). Electronic address: alba@icmse.csic.es.

PMID: 33069468
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142811

Abstract

The increasing accumulation of toxic heavy metals in the environment has generated the need of efficient removal systems, being the adsorption method the most popular one applied in aqueous solutions. Of particular concern is the case of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ due to their high potential hazard. In this paper, we describe the feasibility of a new family of nanomaterials, swelling high charge micas, in the removal of these cations from aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out in the as-made micas, NaMn, and after functionalization with ethylammonium, EA-Mn, and mercaptoethylammonium, MEA-Mn. The results have demonstrated that all of them are efficient heavy metal adsorbents, being Na-M2 the best adsorbent for Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺_, and, MEA-M2 for Hg²⁺.

Keywords: Adsorption; Functionalized adsorbents; Heavy metals; Pollutant; Swelling mica; Thiol.