Adsorbent for Arsenic(V) Removal Synthesized by Radiation-Induced Graft Polymerization onto Nonwoven Cotton Fabric

A fibrous adsorbent for arsenic (As) removal was synthesized with nonwoven cotton fabric as a trunk polymer. 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphoric acid monomer which composed of phosphoric acid mono (50%) and di (50%) ethyl methacrylate ester was introduced with radiation-induced graft polymerization onto nonwoven cotton fabric. The degree of grafting of 130% was obtained at irradiation dose of 20 kGy with 5% of monomer solution for 2 hours reaction time at 40?C reaction temperature. After the grafted material was contacted with 10 mmol/L of zirconium (Zr) solution at pH 1, 0.38 mmol/g of Zr was loaded on phosphoric units as a functional group for As(V) removal. The resulting adsorbent was evaluated by column mode adsorption with 1 mg/L of As(V) solution at various pH with space velocity 200 h–1. The maximum capacity of As(V) adsorption was 0.1 mmol/g at pH 2.