Investigation of the effects of Triton X-100 on chitosan beads and their adsorption of copper and nickel ions

Abstract

The findings in this research seek to contribute towards the use of Triton X-100 (TX100) in enhancing chitosan (CS) adsorbents in the wastewater treatment industry to remove heavy metal ions. In this study, TX100 was dissolved in CS-acetic acid solution and homogenised then made into beads. The CS/TX100 beads were characterised by its diameter, the change in appearance before and after the adsorption tests, scanning electron microscopy images and adsorption tests. In the adsorption tests, the CS/TX100 beads was investigated for its capabilities to adsorb copper and nickel ions from aqueous solutions. 1% CS beads were fabricated with 2 different concentrations of TX100, 0.05% and 0.1% w/v (weight to volume). Adsorption tests were carried out and it was found that 1% CS with 0.1% TX100 beads had improved rates of adsorption and adsorption capacity for both copper and nickel ions. The addition of 0.05% w/v of TX100 did not positively improve the beads’ rate of adsorption or adsorption capacity for both heavy metal ions and caused desorption instead between the 1 h and 24 h mark.