SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION OF ION IMPRINTED AND SELECTIVE ADSORBENTS FOR CONTAMINANT REMOVAL FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the synthetization, characterization, and evaluation of selective Cu(II) ion removal by Cu(II) imprinted mesoporous silica SBA-15 and Cu(II) imprinted silica gel, and selective nitrate removal by nitrate selectivity enhanced quaternary ammonium functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 and nitrate selectivity enhanced quaternary ammonium functionalized silica gel.<br/> Surface-imprinted poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) grafted mesoporous silica SBA-15 (Cu-imprinted PEI-SBA-15) was synthesized and characterized for selective Cu(II) sorption from aqueous solutions. To enhance Cu(II) selectivity of Cu-imprinted PEI-SBA-15, Cu(II) loading on PEI-SBA-15 was increased through Cu(II) sorption under high-molar-concentration ratios of chloride (Cl-) and Cu(II) ions. Then, selective Cu(II) sorption sites were increased through imprinting processes (crosslinking and elution) on Cu-loaded PEI-SBA-15. Selectivity experiments were performed using Cu-imprinted PEI-SBA-15 prepared at various [Cl-]/[Cu(II)] ratios, ranging from 2 to 1000. In multinary solutions containing divalent ions such as Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), and Co(II), Cu(II), selectivity was highest (79.62) at a [Cl-]/[Cu(II)] ratio of 500