Investigating the effects of polyvinyl alcohol concentrations on chitosan beads and their adsorption of copper and nickel ions

Abstract

The purpose of this Final Year Project is to investigate the effects of polyvinyl alcohol concentrations on chitosan beads and their adsorption of copper and nickel ions. To achieve this objective, chitosan solution was produced by mixing deacetylated chitosan flakes with acetic acid to form a homogenous chitosan solution. Chitosan beads were then produced by dripping the chitosan solution into a beaker of coagulant by using a burette. The resulting beads were then subjected to various forms of analyses and testing, namely scanning electron microscopy analyses and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The results were then analysed. Polyvinyl alcohol solution was then prepared and mixed with the chitosan solution in different concentrations to produce chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol beads and the same scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy experiments were carried out to determine the difference in absorbance between the two kinds of beads. It was found that the addition of polyvinyl alcohol improved the absorbance of the chitosan beads by increasing the rate and amount of adsorption of metal ions. However, higher concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol would have adverse effects on adsorption.