Adsorptive features of poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate): effect of porogen formulation on heavy metal ion adsorption

Preparation of crosslinked copolymer beads based on glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and divinyl benzene for the use of heavy metal adsorption has been investigated. In our study, a series of porous copolymer beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization in the presence of porogens, 1-dodecanol, toluene, and heptane at different dilutions. The effect of the porogens on the surface appearance and the porous structure of copolymer beads was studied by scanning electron microscopy and BET method. Diethylene triamine chelating copolymers were obtained through a reaction between amine groups of diethylene triamine and epoxide pendant groups of GMA. Adsorption isotherm and quantitative analysis for adsorption capacity involving copper, chromium, manganese, cadmium, iron, and zinc ions were investigated using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The adsorption was a function of types of metal ions, adsorption time, and solution properties including pH and metal concentration. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved in approximately 50 min with a maximum adsorption capacity at pH 5.0. The Langmuir isotherm was found to be well fitted on the adsorption behavior. The maximum metal adsorption capacities in single ion solution in mole basis were in the order Cu(II) > Cr(VI) > Mn(II) > Zn(II) > Cd (II) > Fe(II). It was found that introducing porogen in the polymerization mixture produced the copolymer beads with better adsorption capacity. The maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacity of chelating poly(GMA-co-HEMA) beads were 1.35 mmol/g (85.79 mg/g) measured from the beads prepared in the presence of 1-heptane with 50% dilution. Consecutive adsorption–desorption experiments showed that crosslinked poly(GMA-co-HEMA) micro-beads can be reused almost without any change in the adsorption capacity.