Silver sorption on acrylic copolymers functionalized with amines. Equilibrium and kinetic studies

The sorption capacity of three weak base ion exchangers based on acrylic copolymers functionalized with ethylenediamine, triethylenetetramine and N, N- dimethylamino propylamine for Ag(I) ions was evaluated. Adsorption experiments were carried out by batch method. The effect of pH, crosslinking degree of copolymers, amount of sorbent, initial ion concentration, contact time and temperature was studied. The parameters which characterize the retention process were estimated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, the best fitting being for the first model. Kinetic data were fitted to pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models. Experimental data were in good agreement with the pseudo second order.