Interaction of heavy metal ions with an ion exchange resin obtained from a natural polyelectrolyte

An ion exchange resin was synthesized by using a natural polyelectrolyte, sodium alginate, and barium ion as a cross-linker reagent. Resin was characterized by TGA and SEM. Equilibrium and kinetic experiments of Pb(2+), Hg(2+), Ni(2+), Co(2+), Fe(2+), and Fe(3+) ions uptake by barium alginate beads were carried out in batch-type experiments under different values of pH. The removal efficiency increases with increasing pH. The uptake of metal ions occurs rapidly in the first hour. Maximum retention capacity was also determined being Fe(II) > Fe(III) > Co(II) > Ni(II) > Pb(II) > Hg(II) in mmol/g dry beads basis. Elution from the loaded resins at maximum capacity was studied by using HCl and HNO(3) as eluents at different concentrations.