Assessment of the Feasibility of Modified Chitosan Beads for the Adsorption of Nitrate from an Aqueous Solution

The objective of the current work was to investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of nitrate removal from an aqueous solution by adsorption using metal (Zr4+)loaded chitosan and Bentonite beads (Cs-Bn-Zr). The study was carried out in a batch system, and the effect of the critical factors on the adsorption performance, such as contact time, initial nitrate anion concentration, and adsorbent dosage, were investigated. In addition, the adsorption equilibrium models of the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms were evaluated. The modified adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and analysis with an energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX). The results demonstrated that at 0.2 g of CS-Bn-Zr adsorbent with an initial concentration of 50 mg/l and a contact time of 120 minutes, the maximum removal of nitrate ions was found to be 97.28%. The result demonstrated that the maximum adsorption capacity of nitrite ions on the manufactured bead was 110.46 mg/g. The Freundlich model was shown to be the most effective for the adsorbate of nitrate. The pseudo–first-order model fits the adsorption kinetic data well.