Heavy metal removal from waste waters by phosphonate metal organic frameworks

Abstract

Abstract The increase attention in the area of phosphonate metal organic framework is exemplified with a variety of applications and a rich chemistry of these compounds. Water pollution caused by heavy metal ions is a major concern due to their toxicity to many life forms. In order to decrease the heavy metals impact upon the environment various technologies of water treatment such as: chemical sedimentation, ion exchange, redox process are studied. The tendency is to find a versatile and economical method of heavy metals removal from waste waters. Phosphonate metal organic frameworks were obtained by the reaction of Ni(CH3COO)2·4H2O, phosphonic acid (phosphonoacetic (CP), vinyl phosphonic acid (VP) and N,N-bis(phosphonomethyl)glycine (Gly)) in hydrothermal conditions. Coordination polymers synthesized were characterized by FTIR, XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The adsorption processes represent a very good alternative for heavy metals removal due to low costs and ease of operation. In the present paper the adsorption performance of the mentioned materials in the removal process of heavy metals from aqueous solutions, was studied using the batch method. The adsorption conditions were investigated by varying the initial pH, contact time and adsorbate initial concentration for chromium metal ions removal from aqueous solutions. It was found that the adsorption efficiency of the studied materials in the removal process of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions is in the following order: Ni-CP<Ni-Gly≤Ni-VP.