Vanadium removal by cationized sawdust produced through iodomethane quaternization of triethanolamine grafted raw material

In this study, two-step surface modification of sawdust using triethanolamine (at 180 °C) and iodomethane 42 was performed to produce a novel quaternized biosorbent, TEA-I-SD. The characterization studies revealed significant morphological changes in the successful quaternization with nitrogen content 5.75%. highest vanadium removal (96.2%) achieved at pH 4 (dosage 1 g/L, initial concentration 19.1 mg/L). Equilibrium within 8 h contact time adsorption kinetics were well fitted pseudo-second-order model. Both film diffusion intra-particle contributed process, while latter rate-limiting step. maximum capacity TEA-I-SD (35.0 mg/g, 4) close theoretical value obtained from Langmuir best fit Redlich-Peterson model, exhibiting monolayer phenomenon. Tests real mine water containing 11 mg/L also confirmed its high (91.3%, dosage g/L) 4. could be reused three times without loss after regeneration, although desorption efficiency rather low (synthetic solution: 38.5–40.5% water: 26.2–43.1%).