Poly(2-acrylamido glycolic acid-co-acryloyl morpholine) and poly(2-acrylamido glycolic acid-co-acrylamide): Synthesis, characterization, and retention properties for environmentally impacting metal ions

Poly(2-acrylamido glycolic acid-co-acrylamide), P(AGA-co-AAm), and poly(2-acrylamido glycolic acid-co-4-acryloylmorpholine), P(AGA-co-AMo), were synthesized by radical polymerization. The water-soluble polymers containing tertiary amine, amide, hydroxyl, and carboxylic acid groups were investigated as polychelatogen, in view of their metal ion binding properties by using the liquid-phase polymer-based retention technique under different experimental conditions. The retention properties for the following metal ions were investigated: Ag⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Al²⁺, Cr³⁺ and Fe³⁺. P(AGA-co-AMo) showed a selective retention for tri-valent cation Al³⁺ at pH 3, but no retention at higher pH. P(AGA-co-AAm) showed the highest metal ion retention capability, specially at pH 5 and pH 7 with values close to 100% to di-valent cations.