Fabrication of Cotton Linter-Based Adsorbents by Radiation Grafting Polymerization for Humic Acid Removal from Aqueous Solution

Two kinds of cotton linter-based adsorbents were synthesized by grafting dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) on cotton linter via radiation grafting polymerization, followed by further quaternization (QCL) or protonation (PCL). The effect of radiation dose and monomer concentration on grafting yield was optimized. The synthesized adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adsorption behaviors of the two adsorbents toward humic acid (HA) were investigated and discussed. pH effect studies showed that QCL was pH-independent, whereas PCL was just suitable for HA adsorption with pH < 6. The adsorption kinetics of the PCL and QCL adsorbent for HA removal were better described by pseudo-second-order kinetic mode and reached equilibrium in 40 min. The adsorption isotherms of the PCL and QCL adsorbent were well fitted with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, for which adsorption capacity reached 250 mg/g and 333 mg/g at pH 6, respectively. XPS analysis revealed the ratio of two amino group species at different pH, suggesting that the interaction mechanism of the adsorbent and HA was electrostatic adsorption.