Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
Open Access

Abstract

Adsorption of Nitrates Using Quaternized Chitosan Resin

 Aneesh P and Jishna M

Preparation of a terpolymer of melamine-gluteraldehyde cross linked chitosan was attempted. The resin was quaternized with Tetramethyl ammonium chloride (TMAC) to form Quaternized Melamine-Gluteraldehyde- Chitosan Resin (QMGCR), which was used for the selective adsorption of nitrate from contaminated water. Prepared resin was characterized using FTIR and optimization adsorption conditions were done by batch method. Adsorption of nitrate to the resin was confirmed by FTIR analysis of the adsorbed resin and UV-Vis analysis of the left solution. Resin showed an adsorption capacity of 117.6 mg/g from 1000 mg/mL solution of nitrate. Adsorption capacity was also tested with water samples collected from four nearby rivers and the resins adsorption capacity was not much affected. Resin was regenerated and tested adsorption capacity up to 5 cycle. The Cl¯ ions of quaternized resin was replaced by nitrate ions through selective adsorption and exchange mechanism