Open Access

ARTICLE

Adsorption Properties and Cost of Dicarboxylic Nanocellulose on Copper Ions for Wastewater Treatment

Xiaozheng Sun^1,*, Yu Yang¹, Qiang He², Jianye Li¹, Rui Li¹, Haitao Chen¹
1 College of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
2 College of Mechanical Engineering, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, 154007, China
* Corresponding Author: Xiaozheng Sun. Email:
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Nanocellulose and Nanocellulose-Derived Functional Materials-2021)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2022, 10(3), 751-766. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.016933

Received 21 April 2021; Accepted 21 May 2021; Issue published 28 September 2021

Abstract

The accumulation of Cu²⁺ in water is a potential threat to human health and environment. Dicarboxylic nanocellulose (DNC) with rich carboxyl groups was prepared through the NaIO₄–NaClO₂ sequential oxidation method to efficiently remove copper ions, and the Cu²⁺ adsorption properties and cost were studied. The maximum adsorption capacity reached 184.2 mg/g at pH 6 and an adsorbent dose of 5 g/L. Theoretically, the maximum adsorption capacities of monocarboxylic nanocellulose (MNC), DNC, and tricarboxylic nanocellulose (TNC) with carboxyl groups as the main adsorption sites were calculated to be 228.7, 261.3, and 148.1 mg/g, respectively. The Cu²⁺ adsorption costs of MNC, DNC, and TNC were calculated and compared with those of powdered activated carbon (PAC). The Cu²⁺ adsorption capacity of DNC is higher than that of PAC, and the adsorption cost is close to or lower than that of PAC, demonstrating that the DNC prepared by sequential oxidation of NaIO₄–NaClO₂ has competitive adsorption capacity and cost in the treatment of wastewater containing Cu²⁺.

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Graphical Abstract

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Keywords

Nanocellulose; heavy metal ions; maximum adsorption capacity; adsorption cost

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Citations