Enhanced removal of prometryn using copper modified microcrystalline cellulose (Cu-MCC): optimization, isotherm, kinetics and regeneration studies

Abstract

In this work, we incorporated Cu2+ on to microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder by a simple synthesis method to produce a composite material (Cu-MCC) with its suitability in prometryn (Pr) adsorption tested from synthetic wastewater. Various characterization techniques were applied in studying the prepared Cu-MCC with response surface methodology applied in order to study the influence of adsorbent dosage, solution pH and shaking speed, which suggested a quadratic model for the response (Pr percentage removal). The optimum adsorption conditions obtained were adsorbent dosage of 0.40\xa0g, solution pH of 11 and shaking speed of 215\xa0rpm with the model adequacy and significance validated by ANOVA. Langmuir and pseudo-second order were the most appropriate models in describing the generated equilibrium and kinetic data, giving rise to a monolayer adsorption capacity value of 97.80\xa0mg/g at room temperature. The desorption of Pr on Cu-MCC was also probed depicting the adsorption capacity to be about 66.7% of its initial value after six sequential adsorption–desorption cycles. Overall, the prepared Cu-MCC was revealed to have great potential for being a good adsorbent in the removal of water contaminants such as Pr, based on the obtained results.Graphic abstract