Radiation induced copolymerization of binary monomers system(styrene/acrylic acid) and its application in removal of some heavy metals and dyes from aquatic solutions

Radiation-induced coploymerization of binary monomer system styrene/acrylic acid (Sty/AAc) using direct radiation technique has been investigated. The appropriate reaction conditions such as solvent, commonomer concentration, commonomer composition and irradiation dose at which the coplymerization process was carried out successfully were selected. The effect of different parameters on the conversion percent of the commonmer into coplomer was studied by gravimetric method. It was found that, using methanol/distilled water as a cosolvent with composition 80/20 wt% enhanced the copolymerization process. The conversion (%) of the commonomer was increased with increasing radiation dose. Some properties of the coplymer such as wate uptake, thermal stability, surface topography were investigated. The improvement in such properties of the prepared coplymers was observed which makes possible uses in some practical applications such as in the removal of some heavy metals and dyes from wastewater. the prepared copolymer has good chemical and thermal stability where as the styrene content lead to increase the swelling behaviour. It was found that the maximum metal uptake by the coplymer is ordered in the sequence of Bp2+>Cu2+>Ni2+. The possibility of the removal of three classes of dyes from aqueous solutions; namely wegocet yellow 4GL (direct yellow 44), congo red (diect red 28). Remacryl blue 3G (basic blue3) and xylene blue *acid blue 7 was studied. It could be concluded that the Sty/AAc copolymer with composition 20/80 wt % can be used as a contrilled water retainer for carrying of some substance in aquatic fields involving environmental treatments. Also, it could be concluded that the most important parameter affecting the swelling behaviour and characteristic of the prepared copolymer are the type of conversion due to chemical treatment, the pH of the medium and coonstituents of the prepared copolymer