Chitosan is a biopolymer which is derived from chitin, the main component of crustacean shell. It is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and low cost material with chelating sites for heavy metal ions. Herein we introduce a very versatile and cost effective approach to adsorb environmentally toxic heavy metal ions using 3D printed hydrogels. Chitosan was mixed with pluronic diacrylate and Irgacure-754, the photo-initiator to have 1%, 5%, and 10% (chitosan w/w) hydrogels in mili-q water. These were then 3D printed using a paste-extruder with simultaneous UV-curing at 360 nm to gain 3D printed hydrogels with desirable mechanical strength due to pluronic polymer matrix. Cd and Cu adsorptions increased with increasing chitosan% (w/w) with maximum adsorptions ~ 110 ppm and ~ 120 ppm per gram of hydrogel for chitosan 10% (w/w) samples after 15 h respectively vs. ~ 26 ppm/g for the pluronic diacrylate control. Metal leaching tests of both Cd and Cu resulted &lt; ~2.5% leaching for all the three hydrogel samples vs. ~20% and ~16% for the control for Cd and Cu respectively, proving efficient chelating properties of chitosan for Cd and Cu. Furthermore, Hg and Pb adsorption and leaching tests are carried out in a similar manner. Moreover, this approach can be very applicable as 3D printable hydrogel filters for industrial wastewater effluents for environmental remediation.

Chitosan-pluronic diacrylate hydrogels as 3D printable material for heavy metal ion adsorption

255th National Meeting (2018)

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