Recovery of Heavy Metal Ions Using Magnetic Glycine-Modified Chitosan—Application to Aqueous Solutions and Tailing Leachate

The necessity of decontaminating effluents for the dual purpose environmental beneficiation and valorization low-grade resources is driving development new sorbents. functionalization biopolymers a promising strategy improving sorption performance. Incorporating magnetic micro-particles offers an opportunity facilitated recovery spent micron-size sorbent. Combining facilities biopolymer represents winning strategy. Magnetic glycine-grafted chitosan (G@MChs) was synthesized Ni(II), Zn(II), Hg(II) before being applied to removal hazardous strategic metals from tailing leachates. sorbent characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy scanning electron microscopy, after metal sorption. acid–base properties functionalized were also determined (pHPZC). Uptake kinetics studied in mono- multi-component solutions different equations kinetic modeling at optimized pH (i.e., pH0: 5.5). Langmuir Sips model isotherms single-component solutions. In addition, used evaluate preference selected metals. Maximum capacities 0.35 mmol Hg g?1, 0.47 Zn 0.50 Ni g?1. Acidified urea solution (pH 2.7) successfully desorbs ions G@MChs (desorption > 90%). tested acidic leachates tailings. This study demonstrates performance treatment complex metal-bearing