Adsorption of Cd2+ and Cu2+ on Ion‐Exchange Beads from Cellulose/Alginic Acid Blend

Abstract Our previous work has proved that mechanical properties of a blending alginate with cellulose was significantly enhanced in a wet state and maintained its biodegradability. In this article, ion‐exchange beads were prepared from cellulose and alginate in 6 wt% NaOH/4 wt% urea aqueous solution by using an emulsion phase separation method. The structure and morphology of the beads were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and the adsorption behaviors to Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The effects of pH, adsorption time, ion concentration, temperature, and reusability of the beads on the adsorbed amount of Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions in aqueous solution were investigated by a batch method. The results indicated that the beads had a spherical shape, with ∼4–20 µm of diameter and relatively high ion‐exchange capacity (3.81 mmol g−1). The combined action of Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions on beads generally was found to be...