Sorption of silver ion from aqueous solutions using conducting electroactive polymers

In this research polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PAni) conducting polymers which were synthesized chemically on the surface of wood sawdust (SD). These electroactive polymers as coated form on sawdust then were used for sorption or removal of silver ion from aqueous solutions under simple open circuit conditions. The effects of some important parameters such as pH, initial concentration, sorbent dosage, and contact time on uptake of silver ion were also investigated in this research. The experiments were carried out using both batch and column systems at room temperature. The treatments of the data were carried out using both Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms. In order to find out the possibility of the regeneration and reuse of the exhausted adsorbent, desorption studies were also performed. It was found that conducting electroactive polymers such as PPy or PAni are efficient sorbents for removal of the silver ions from aqueous solutions. Sorption/desorption processes can be simply carried out with pH control with satisfactory performance. Recovery percentage observed for PAni/SD in column study was more than PPy/SD and SD, under the same operational conditions.