Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan-Alginate-Based Cross-linked Copolymer for the Effective Removal of Methylene Blue from Its Aqueous Solution

The objective of the present study was the synthesis and characterization of chitosan-alginate-based cross-linked copolymer (CACC) for the effective removal of methylene blue (MB) from its aqueous solution. The CACC before and after the removal of MB was confirmed by in-depth characterization techniques. The thermal stability of the materials before and after adsorption of MB was determined by thermal gravimetric analysis. The solid–liquid phase interactions between CACC and MB during the adsorption/removal was observed employing several affecting operating parameters like the concentration of MB, CACC dose, pH, contact time and temperature were studied. Langmuir isotherm model described better MB adsorption onto CACC than the model of Freundlich model with determination coefficient R2-value of 0.990 in Langmuir equation. Thus, being an eco-friendly, biodegradable, biocompatible and low-cost material, the CACC could be a potential polymeric-based adsorbent for the effective removal of MB from its aqueous solution and wastewater.