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Chitosan-g-poly(acrylic acid)-bentonite composite: a potential immobilizing agent of heavy metals in soil

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Abstract

Aiming to achieve heavy metal adsorption in water and soil environments, a montmorillonite rich bentonite was graft-copolymerized with chitosan, and the obtained composite material was evaluated as a metal immobilizing agent for remediating metal contaminated soil. The graft-copolymerization reaction in the composite was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. Batch adsorption studies with varying experimental conditions, such as adsorbent amount, pH and metal concentration, were conducted to assess the metal adsorption capacity of the composite. The adsorption pattern followed the Langmuir isotherm model, and maximum monolayer capacity was 88.5, 72.9, 51.5 and 48.5 mg g−1 for Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni, respectively. Amendment of a contaminated soil with the composite enhanced the metal retention capacity by 3.4, 3.2, 4.9 and 5.6-fold for Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni, respectively, over unamended soil. The desorption percentage of metals from the composite treated soil was significantly lower than the unamended contaminated soil. The findings indicated that immobilization of heavy metals in soils could be achieved by the chitosan–bentonite, which would potentially be an inexpensive and sustainable environmental remediation technology.

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Acknowledgments

Authors thank the Head, Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India for providing all the required facilities to carry out the present investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India

    P. Kumararaja, K. M. Manjaiah & S. C. Datta

  2. ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    P. Kumararaja

  3. ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune, Maharashtra, India

    T. P. Ahammed Shabeer

  4. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    Binoy Sarkar

  5. Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia

    Binoy Sarkar

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  1. P. Kumararaja
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  4. T. P. Ahammed Shabeer
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Correspondence to K. M. Manjaiah.

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Kumararaja, P., Manjaiah, K.M., Datta, S.C. et al. Chitosan-g-poly(acrylic acid)-bentonite composite: a potential immobilizing agent of heavy metals in soil. Cellulose 25, 3985–3999 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-018-1828-x

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