Biosorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution using polyaniline/chitin composite

ABSTRACT

In this study, chitin (Ch) was made composite with polyaniline (PANI) and used for the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution. Characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray analyser and X-ray diffraction were employed to characterize the prepared PANI/Ch composite. Influence of various equilibrium parameters on the adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions onto PANI/Ch composite was investigated. The adsorption process followed the Freundlich isotherm model, and the calculated maximum monolayer sorption capacity of PANI/Ch composite for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions is 7.03 and 6.05 mg g⁻¹ at 303 K. The kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order model.

KEYWORDS:

• Adsorption
• chitin
• kinetics
• polyaniline

Acknowledgements

Rathinam Karthik would like to acknowledge the DST-INSPIRE, New Delhi, India, for the financial support to carry out this work.