Multicomponent heavy metals adsorption on functionalized swelling micas: Mechanistic insights and structural evolution

Heavy metal contamination is a critical environmental issue, often involving complex multicomponent systems. Swelling brittle micas, a family of designer sorbents, have demonstrated exceptional heavy metal removal capabilities, yet their behabior in competitive adsorption systems remains largely une...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Osuna, Francisco J., Chaparro, Javier R., Pavón-González, Esperanza, Alba, María D.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/393560
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/393560
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Swelling brittle mica
Thiol functionalization
Wastewater treatment
Competitive adsorption
Multicomponent system
wastewater treatment
thiols
Descripción
Sumario:Heavy metal contamination is a critical environmental issue, often involving complex multicomponent systems. Swelling brittle micas, a family of designer sorbents, have demonstrated exceptional heavy metal removal capabilities, yet their behabior in competitive adsorption systems remains largely unexplored. This study systematically investigates the simultaneous uptake of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ on both as-synthesized brittle mica and its thiol-functionalized counterpart. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), we reveal critical structural transformations occurring at both short- and long-range scales during adsorption. Our findings demonstrate that competitive adsorption governs metal uptake, leading to a reduction in total adsorption capacity compared to single-metal systems. However, selectivity toward specific metal cations remains unchanged, irrespective of competing species or surface functionalization. Overall, this study not only improves our understanding of heavy metal adsorption but also paves the way for more effective and sustainable sorbent design in environmental remediation.