Zirconium phosphonate doped PVA/Chitosan hybrid gel beads for enhanced selective extraction of Pb2+ from water

Abstract In this study, novel hybrid inorganic–organic adsorbents were prepared by encapsulation of zirconium aminophosphonate within macroporous poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan support (PVA/CS/ATMPZ) with excellent Pb 2+ adsorption performance. The optimal parameters of the process as a function of the solution pH, temperature, contact time, ionic strength and humic acid were established. It was found that nearly 100% of Pb 2+ could be removed by PVA/CS/ATMPZ at a broad pH range and removal efficiency was almost constant in the presence of humic acid. It was revealed that the associated adsorption mechanism for Pb 2+ removal by PVA/CS/ATMPZ was mainly the chemical binding with amide and aminophosphonate groups derived from chitosan and ATMP. Moreover, adsorption experiments were conducted in the fixed-bed continuous-flow column system to further evaluate the potential of PVA/CS/ATMPZ for Pb 2+ removal. The obtained results enabled to estimate the possibility to use the PVA/CS/ATMPZ in the removal of Pb 2+ from effluents by adsorption.