Removal of lead from aqueous solution on glutamate intercalated layered double hydroxide

Glutamate intercalated Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) was prepared by co-precipitation and the removal of Pb2+ in the aqueous solution was investigated. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and SEM. It was shown that glutamate can intercalate into the interlayer space of Mg–Al LDH. The glutamate intercalated Mg–Al LDH can effectively adsorb Pb2+ in the aqueous solution with an adsorption capacity of 68.49 mg g−1. The adsorption of Pb2+ on glutamate intercalated Mg–Al LDH fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the isotherm can be well defined by Langmuir model.