Application of modified chitosan microspheres for nitrate and phosphate adsorption from aqueous solution

Abstract

The modified chitosan microspheres (CM) were prepared by inverse suspension crosslinking and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. A systematic study of the adsorption of nitrate and phosphate on CM was performed by varying the pH, the initial concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dosage. The experimental results showed that CM is an excellent adsorbent for the removal of nitrate and phosphate with an adsorption capacity of 32.15 mg g⁻¹ and 33.90 mg g⁻¹, respectively. An equilibrium isotherm study showed a very good fit with the Langmuir isotherm equation for the monolayer adsorption process. Kinetic parameters of the adsorption process indicated that it followed a pseudo-second order equation.