Synthesis of poly (acrylamide-co-aconitic acid) adsorbents by gamma-irradiation,characterization, adsorption studies and application for cationic dyes removal

In this study, acrylamide (AAm)/aconitic acid (ACA) copolymers were prepared with two different mol% of aconitic acid 4%, 17% and were irradiated with gamma irradiation at different irradiation doses (4 - 25kGy). The percent yield was assigned by gravimetrical method. The effect of irradiation dose, pH and involved amounts of monomers (AAm/ACA) in hydrogels on swelling properties were investigated. The conversion of monomers to hydrogels was 100% at 25kGy. Poly(acrylamide-co-aconitic acid) P(AAm/ACA) hydrogels have been used for the adsorption of some aqueous solutions of dyes such as Methylene Blue (MB) and Safranine-O (S). The hydrogels were swollen in distilled water at pH 3, 5, 7, 8 and in aqueous solutions of dyes. The initial swelling rates of hydrogels are increased by increasing of pH. The effects of concentration of the aqueous solutions of dye and hydrogel composition on the adsorption were investigated. The adsorption is increased and changed depending on the structure of dye and composition of hydrogel.