Preparation of an Adsorbent Containing Carboxylic and Amidoxime Groups by Gamma Radiation

Poly(acrylamide-acrylic acid-acrylonitrile) resin, P(AAm-AA-AN), was prepared by template copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylonitrile (AN) monomers on poly(acrylamide), P(AAm) hydrogel, as a template polymer in the presence of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA) as a cross linker using gamma radiation. The obtained resin was amidoximated by reaction with hydroxylamine, and the amidoximated resin poly(acrylamide-acrylic acid- amidoxime), P(AAm-AA-AO), was used for removal of Cu2+ ions from the aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption studies have been carried out by measuring the effect of ph, amount of adsorbent, contact time and Cu2+ ions concentration. Adsorption isotherms of Cu2+ ions onto P(AAm-AA-AO) resin were constructed. The equilibrium data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms while the equilibrium process was described as Langmuir isotherm model with maximum absorption capacity of 194 mg/g at 25 degree C. The kinetics of the adsorption process of Cu2+ ions onto P(AAm-AA-AO) resin were discussed. The pseudo second order kinetic model described very well the adsorption process of Cu2+ ions onto P(AAm-AA-AO) resin