A Highly Efficient Environmental-Friendly Adsorbent Based on Schiff Base for Removal of Cu(II) from Aqueous Solutions: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study
Said Tighadouini,
Othmane Roby,
Smaail Radi,
Zouhair Lakbaibi,
Rafik Saddik,
Yahia N. Mabkhot,
Zainab M. Almarhoon,
Yann Garcia
Affiliations
Said Tighadouini
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis, Extraction and Valorization, Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, Hassan II University, BP 5366, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Othmane Roby
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis, Extraction and Valorization, Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, Hassan II University, BP 5366, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Smaail Radi
LCAE, Faculty of Sciences, University Mohamed Premier, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Zouhair Lakbaibi
Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry, Materials and Environment (LCME2), Multidisciplinary Faculty Nador, University Mohamed Premier, Oujda, BP 300 Selouane, Nador 62700, Morocco
Rafik Saddik
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis, Extraction and Valorization, Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, Hassan II University, BP 5366, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Yahia N. Mabkhot
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 960, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
Zainab M. Almarhoon
Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Yann Garcia
Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Molecular Chemistry, Materials and Catalysis (IMCN/MOST), Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Louis Pasteur 1, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Removal of heavy metals from drinking water sources and rivers is of strategic health importance and is essential for sustainable ecosystem development, in particular in polluted areas around the globe. In this work, new hybrid inorganic-organic material adsorbents made of ortho- (Si-o-OR) or para-Schiff base silica (Si-p-OR) were synthesized and characterized in depth. These hybrid adsorbents show a high selectivity to Cu(II), even in the presence of competing heavy metals (Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II)), and also demonstrate great reusability after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Maximum sorption capacity for Cu(II) was found for Si-o-OR (79.36 mg g−1) and Si-p-OR (36.20 mg g−1) in no less than 25 min. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy studies demonstrate that this uptake occurs due to a chelating effect, which allows these adsorbents to trap Cu(II) ions on their surfaces; this result is supported by a theoretical study for Si-o-OR. The new adsorbents were tested against real water samples extracted from two rivers from the Oriental region of Morocco.
