Sorption of Cu2+ ions by chitin and chitosan from aqueous solutions. Molecular structure of complexes formed

The sorption of Cu²⁺ ions by chitin and chitosan from aqueous solutions has been investigated, as well as the molecular structure of the complexes formed. The static exchange capacities have been determined, equal to 3.5 and 0.25 mmole/g for chitosan and chitin, respectively, and the partition coefficients (5000 and 70 g/ml). It has been shown that in complex formation a bond with the amino group is formed as the result of the substitution of a proton in the latter. The EPR spectra of these complexes have been obtained and their radiospectroscopic parameters determined (g = 2.334,g = 2.054,A = 0.0156 cm^–1, andB = 0.0028 cm^–1 for chitin, andg = 2.231,g = 2.048,A = 0.0192 cm^–1, andB = 0.0025 cm^–1 for chitosan). For chitosan the ligands are two nitrogen atoms of the amino groups and two oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl groups in the position C³ of adjacent glucosamine rings; for chitin, the oxygen atoms of the acetyl groups take part in addition in the complex formation. The analysis of the radiospectroscopic parameters and their comparison with published data lead to the conclusion that the Cu²⁺ complex with chitosan has a tetragonal symmetry, while the complex with chitin most probably has an octahedral structure.Institute of Physical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117915 Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2305–2311, October, 1992.