Sorption of metal ions by bead cellulose grafted with amidoximated polyacrylonitrile

Bead cellulose samples with amidoximated polyacrylonitrile grafts were examined as sorbents for metal ions. The amount of the ion sorbed from 40 mM solution in a fixed period increased in the order Cd(II), zn(II) < Pb(II) < Cu (II) much less than Ag(I). The treatment of bead samples with NaOH solutions caused the swelling, and both the amount of the metal ion sorbed and the sorption rate increased considerably after the NaOH treatment. More than 90% of metal ions sorbed by the beads were desorbed in 0.5 M H2SO4. The sorption-desorption-NaOH treatment cycle could be repeated without significant reduction in the extent of sorption.