Synthesis,characterization and metal ion sorption studies of graft copolymers of cellulose with glycidyl methacrylate and some comonomers

To develop low-cost and environmentally friendly polymeric materials for enrichment, separation and remediation of metal ions from water, novel reactive graft copolymers based on cellulose extracted from pine needles were synthesized by grafting of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) alone and with comonomers acrylic acid, acrylamide and acrylonitrile by benzoyl peroxide initiation. Structural aspects of graft copolymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, and solvent uptake behaviour. An attempt has been made to study sorption of Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cr⁶⁺ ions on candidate graft copolymers by an equilibration method and to investigate the structural aspects of graft copolymers and establish a relationship between the structural aspects of graft copolymers and metal ion uptake efficiency and selectivity.