PREPARATION OF A NEW POLYSTYRENE SUPPORTED-ETHYLENEDIAMINEDIACETIC ACID RESIN AND ITS SORPTION BEHAVIOR TOWARD DIVALENT METAL IONS

A new polystyrene-supported ethylenediaminediacetic acid resin has been synthesized through a reaction between the amination of the commercially available 4-chloromethyl polystyrene polymer with ethylenediamine and the subsequent carboxymethylation with monobromoacetic acid, using ethylenediamine as spacer. The chelation behavior of this resin toward the divalent metal ions Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ in aqueous solutions was investigated. Batch equilibration experiments were carried out as a function of contact time, pH, amount of metal-ion, and polymer mass. The amount of metal-ion uptake of the polymer was determined by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Results of the investigation revealed that the resin exhibited higher capacities and a more pronounced adsorption toward Cu2+ and that the metal-ion uptake follows the order: Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Ni2+ > Pb2+. The adsorption and binding capacity of the resin toward the various metal ions investigated are discussed.