Phosphorylated Cellulose-Based Porous Monoliths for Efficient and Eco-Friendly Heavy Metal Ion Adsorption
Source abstract
Abstract
Heavy metal ion contamination in aquatic systems presents substantial environmental and public health challenges, demanding innovative remediation solutions. This study reports the synthesis of phosphorylated cellulose (PC) monoliths via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) as a sustainable solution for heavy metal removal. Through systematic optimization of phosphorylation degree (ranging from 16.3% to 49.5%) and pore architecture, we developed materials with exceptional adsorption capacity and flow characteristics. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, FTIR, and elemental analysis) confirmed the successful incorporation of the phosphate group while revealing tunable three-dimensional porous structures controlled by cellulose acetate concentration (80–120 mg mL−1) and phosphorylation parameters. Optimal Cu2+ adsorption occurs at 43.9% phosphorylation, coupled with stable permeability, under continuous flow conditions. The monolith effectively removes heavy metal ions (e.g., Cu2+, Ni2+, Cd2+) across a wide pH range, driven by electrostatic and hard-soft acid-base interactions. Additionally, the material maintains an absorption capacity of over 90% after multiple regeneration cycles. These findings highlight the potential of PC monoliths as cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally friendly adsorbents for heavy metal ion removal in water treatment applications.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal · Advanced Cellulose Research Studies · Nanomaterials for catalytic reactions
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Technical Fiber Composites for Safety and Health, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Nantong Key Laboratory of Intelligent and New Energy Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Huzhou Key Laboratory of Medical and Environmental Applications Technologies, School of Life Sciences, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Funding
Natural Science Foundation of Nantong Municipality · Science and Technology Project of Nantong City · Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions · Qinglan Project of Jiangsu Province of China and the Talent Introduction Program of Nantong University
References (44)
Show source-provided references
1. Toxic Heavy Metal and Metalloid Accumulation in Crop Plants and Foods10.1146/annurev-arplant-043015-112301 ↗
2. Heavy metal pollution status in surface sediments of the coastal Bohai Bay10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.007 ↗
3. Phosphorylated cellulose paper as highly efficient adsorbent for cadmium heavy metal ion removal in aqueous solutions10.1039/D1RA08060A ↗
4. Physico–chemical treatment techniques for wastewater laden with heavy metals10.1016/j.cej.2006.01.015 ↗
5. A novel chitosan/cellulose phosphonate composite hydrogel for ultrafast and efficient removal of Pb(II) and Cu(II) from wastewater10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122104 ↗
6. Chemo-enzymatic functionalized sustainable cellulosic membranes: Impact of regional selectivity on ions capture and antifouling behavior10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118937 ↗
7. Heavy metal adsorption onto agro-based waste materials: A review10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.01.024 ↗
8. New trends in removing heavy metals from industrial wastewater10.1016/j.arabjc.2010.07.019 ↗
9. Chemical precipitation of heavy metals from acid mine drainage10.1016/S0043-1354(02)00149-5 ↗
10. Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater: A comprehensive and critical review
11. Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater by chemically modified plant wastes as adsorbents: A review10.1016/j.biortech.2007.06.011 ↗
12. Ion exchanger from chemically modified banana leaves10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.04.031 ↗
13. Production of versatile biosorbent via eco-friendly utilization of non-wood biomass10.1016/j.cej.2022.138811 ↗
14. Preparation, properties and applications of polysaccharide nanocrystals in advanced functional nanomaterials: A review10.1039/c2nr30260h ↗
15. Cellulose nanofibers prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation of native cellulose10.1021/bm0703970 ↗
16. Nanocellulose, a Versatile Green Platform: From Biosources to Materials and Their Applications10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00627 ↗
17. Adsorption of Iron(III) and Copper(II) by Bacterial Cellulose from Rhodococcus sp. MI 210.1007/s10924-019-01480-5 ↗
18. Synthesis, characterization and adsorption studies of phosphorylated cellulose for the recovery of lithium from aqueous solutions10.35812/CelluloseChemTechnol.2021.55.37 ↗
19. A critical review on three-dimensional cellulose-based aerogels: Synthesis, physico-chemical characterizations and applications as adsorbents for heavy metals removal from water10.1007/s10570-023-05129-4 ↗
20. Chitosan-coated mesoporous microspheres of calcium silicate hydrate: Environmentally friendly synthesis and application as a highly efficient adsorbent for heavy metal ions10.1016/j.jcis.2013.12.016 ↗
21. Remediation of heavy metals and dyes from wastewater using cellulose-based adsorbents10.1007/s10311-018-00843-z ↗
22. Fabrication of multifunctional biomass-based aerogel with 3D hierarchical porous structure from waste reed for the synergetic adsorption of dyes and heavy metal ions10.1016/j.cej.2022.138934 ↗
23. The potential of supercritical drying as a “green” method for the production of food-grade bioaerogels: A comprehensive critical review10.1016/j.foodhyd.2023.108738 ↗
24. A Novel Freeze-Drying-Free Strategy to Fabricate a Biobased Tough Aerogel for Separation of Oil/Water Mixtures10.1021/acs.jafc.9b07629 ↗
25. Bidirectional anisotropic polyimide/bacterial cellulose aerogels by freeze-drying for super-thermal insulation10.1016/j.cej.2019.123963 ↗
26. Conversion of PET bottles into carbonaceous adsorbents for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions via KOH activation10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106092 ↗
27. Scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue engineering: The role of genetics10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.05.042 ↗
28. Membrane formation by thermally induced phase separation: Materials, involved parameters, modeling, current efforts and future directions10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121303 ↗
29. A review on microporous polyvinylidene fluoride membranes fabricated via thermally induced phase separation for MF/UF application10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119759 ↗
30. Advances in hierarchically porous materials: Fundamentals, preparation and applications10.1016/j.rser.2024.114641 ↗
31. Unveiling cutting-edge advances in high surface area porous materials for the efficient removal of toxic metal ions from water10.1016/j.pmatsci.2024.101314 ↗
32. Processable Conjugated Microporous Polymer Gels and Monoliths: Fundamentals and Versatile Applications10.1021/acsami.2c10088 ↗
33. Cationic functionalization of cellulose monoliths using a urea-choline based deep eutectic solvent and their applications10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2018.12.015 ↗
34. Flameproofing of cotton fabrics with urea and phosphoric acid in organic solvent10.2115/fiber.22.510 ↗
35. Cellulose acetate fibers prepared from different raw materials with rapid synthesis method10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.11.034 ↗
36. Synthesis and characterization of cellulose acetate from rice husk: Eco-friendly condition10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.06.006 ↗
37. Structure and functional properties of cellulose acetate films incorporated with glycerol10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.01.031 ↗
38. Phosphorylation of alginate: Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of in vitro mineralization capacity10.1021/bm1011773 ↗
39. Copper phosphorylated cellulose nanofibers mediated azide-alkyne cycloaddition click reaction in water10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121501 ↗
40. Preparation of electrospun cellulose acetate/chitosan membranes for efficient sorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134698 ↗
41. Cellulose Nanofibrils Aerogel Cross-Linked by Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Acrylic Acid for Efficient and Recycled Adsorption with Heavy Metal Ions10.1166/jnn.2018.15264 ↗
42. Three-dimensional macroscopic aminosilylated nanocellulose aerogels as sustainable bio-adsorbents for the effective removal of heavy metal ions10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.08.186 ↗
43. Jing, W., Yin, L., Lin, X., Yu, Y., Lian, D., Shi, Z., Chen, P., Tang, M., and Yang, C. (2022). Simultaneous Adsorption of Cu2+ and Cd2+ by a Simple Synthesis of Environmentally Friendly Bamboo Pulp Aerogels: Adsorption Properties and Mechanisms. Polymers, 14.10.3390/polym14224909 ↗
44. Sun, P., Wang, M., Wu, T., Guo, L., and Han, W. (2023). Covalent Crosslinking Cellulose/Graphene Aerogels with High Elasticity and Adsorbability for Heavy Metal Ions Adsorption. Polymers, 15.10.3390/polym15112434 ↗