Exploratory study to assess the impact of chitosan /bentonite ratio on the metal removal capacity of chitosan modified bentonite clay

Adsorption is one of the methods that can be used for metal removal. In this study five metals were used cadmium, chromium, lead, copper and Nickel (Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, and Ni) over a concentration range from 0.8 to about 7 mg l^-1 for each metal. Adsorbents were prepared with increasing chitosan to bentonite ratio from 0 to 0.67 g chitosan/g bentonite. The study showed that adsorption of metals on plain bentonite and chitosan modified bentonite can fit well with Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the bentonite adsorption capacity will decrease with the increase of chitosan/bentonite ratio. This study concluded that bentonite is a good adsorbent. However, the applicability of bentonite as potential adsorbent may be limited by its physical properties such as slow settling rate and difficulty to use it as an adsorbent in adsorption columns. Despite the decrease of maximum theoretical adsorption capacity as a result of chitosan modification, the addition of small amount of chitosan can improve the physical characteristics of bentonite clay to be used as an adsorbent.