Pectin-grafted terpolymer superadsorbent via N-H activated strategic protrusion of monomer for removals of Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II).

Pectin (PC)-g-[methacrylic acid (MAA)-co-3-(N-isopropylacrylamido)-2-methylpropanoic acid (NIPAMPA)-co-N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)] (i.e., PC-g-TP), a novel interpenetrating terpolymer network hydrogel of excellent physicochemical properties and reusability, was synthesized via grafting of PC and in situ strategic protrusion of third monomer, i.e., NIPAMPA, during polymerization of MAA and NIPA, using response surface methodology optimized amounts of ingredients and temperature, for superadsorption of hazardous metal ions, such as Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II). The in situ allocation of NIPAMPA via NH activation, grafting of PC into MAA-co-NIPAMPA-co-NIPA matrix, physicochemical properties, and superadsorption mechanism were rationalized via extensive microstructural analyses of unadsorbed and/or adsorbed PC-g-TP through 1 H-/13 C-NMR, XPS, FTIR,TGA, XRD, FESEM, DLS, %gel content, pHPZC , and %graft ratio. The spontaneous chemisorption data exhibited excellent fitting with Langmuir model. The adsorption capacities (ACs) were 1315.32, 1172.97, and 1269.09 mg g-1 for Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II), respectively, at 293 K, 0.02 g of PC-g-TP, and within 500-1000 ppm.