Novel Micro Beads of Graphene Oxide-Pectin Composites for the Removal of Multi Metal Ions from Water

Abstract

Novel micro beads of Graphene oxide-pectin (GO-Pec) were prepared from raw materials of graphite and pectin with enhanced adsorption. The micro beads were fabricated by ionotropic gelation with Ca²⁺ ion. The structure and micromorphology of the products were characterized by Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible spectrometry, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Its cationic metal adsorption in aqueous solution was investigated. Adsorption experiments revealed that removal efficiency of such metal ions falls in the range of 89%–22% and it followed the order Hg (II) > Cu (II) > Pb (II) > Cd (II). The effects of contact time on the adsorption characteristics of these metals were studied. The findings suggest that GO-Pec beads can serve as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of multi-metal ions from water.