Removal of Cd (II) from aqueous solutions by batch and continuous process using chitosan sulfate dispersed in a calcium alginate hydrogel

A novel chitosan sulfate (ChS) which is insoluble at acidic pHs was synthesized and then dispersed in calcium alginate hydrogel beads to be used to remove Cd(II) from aqueous solutions at acidic pHs using a batch process and a continuous process. By batch wise experiments, it was found that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the Alg-ChS beads increase with the increase in the initial concentration of Cd; however, the percentage of Cd removal decreased. The Freundlich model had the best fit to the experimental adsorption equilibrium data. The adsorption rate of Cd onto Alg-ChS beads followed the kinetic model of pseudo-second order and the time to reach equilibrium increased slightly with increasing initial concentration of Cd(II). The removal of Cd using a fixed bed column (continuous process) packed with the Alg-ChS beads had a much higher efficiency than the Batch process. An adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) onto the Alg-ChS beads was proposed using the FTIR, and XPS spectra of samples of Cd(II) adsorbed onto ChS and the mechanisms of adsorption of metals by alginate and chitosan proposed by other authors.