New fibrous carboxyl cation exchangers for sorption cations of heavy and non-ferrous metals from water

New fibrous carboxyl cation exchangers FIBAN were synthesized by the method of graft copolymerization to polypropylene staple fibers of acrylic acid and various bifunctional comonomers (divinylbenzene – DVB, ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate – EGDM, methylene-bis-acrylamide – MBAA). Sorption properties of the fibers towards cations of heavy and non-ferrous metals (Cо2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+ и Pb2+) were studied on the model solutions in the dynamic regime. The dynamic activity of the crosslinked sorbents towards Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions is higher compared to fibrous analogues FIBAN Х-1, FIBAN Х-2, FIBAN К-6М, FIBAN К-5, VION КN-1. The best sorbent for lead ions between the crosslinked fibers is the fiber with EGDM. The fiber with MBAA has a higher affinity towards the cations of Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Cа2+, which increases with the increasing of the degree of crosslinking by MBAA. Studying the fibers by the methods of Fourier-transform IR-spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, analyzing of the chemical oxygen demand in water extracts and determination of the equivalent moisture capacity coefficient coefficient demonstrated that the crosslinking by MBAA provides a stable structure of the sorbent. The high stability of the crosslinked structure combined with the high ion exchange capacity near 7 mEq/g and dynamic activity towards the cations of Pb2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ и Cа2+ makes the fibrous carboxyl sorbent with MBAA safe and perspective for drinking water purification.