Arsenic(III) adsorption from aqueous solutions on novel carbon cryogel/ceria nanocomposite

Abstract

Carbon cryogel/ceria composite, with 10 wt.% of ceria, was synthesized by mixing of ceria and carbon cryogel (CC). The sample was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption and X-ray diffraction. The adsorption of arsenic(III) ions from aqueous solutions on carbon cryogel/ceria nanocomposite was studied as a function of time, solution pH and As(III) ion concentration. The results are correlated with previous investigations of adsorption mechanism of arsenic(III) on carbon cryogel. Adsorption dose experiments showed that the mass of the adsorbent was reduced for 20 times, in comparison with pure CC, for the same amount of adsorbed arsenic(III) ions. BET isotherm was used to interpret the experimental data for modelling liquid phase adsorption.