Composite starch hydrogels for sorption of potentially toxic elements in contaminated water: synergistic interaction between selective ligands in modified nanocellulose

• Grant number: 23/11783-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: January 31, 2024
• End date: January 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Derval dos Santos Rosa
• Grantee: Talles Barcelos da Costa
• Supervisor: Artur José Monteiro Valente
• Host Institution: Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas (CECS). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Coimbra (UC), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/11133-0 - Development of biodegradable porous starch hydrogels containing modified nanocellulose or nanoclays for the removal and recovery of metals in contaminated water, BP.PD

Abstract

In recent years, industrial expansion, population growth, and increased urbanization have caused serious environmental impacts. Among them, the contamination of water resources by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) stands out. The sorption process has been considered a technologically and economically promising alternative for the removal of these metals in low concentrations, due to its efficiency and low cost. Cellulose and starch hydrogels are three-dimensional structures with high surface area and porosity suitable for use in sorption processes, besides to being biodegradable, regenerable and sustainable as they are obtained from renewable biomass. The functionalization with selective ligands allows the separation through bonds and complexations of the metallic ions from the functional groups present in the polymeric structures. Given the scientific and technological importance, hydrogels containing cellulose nanostructures (NECs) modified with different selective ligands (Schiff bases, crown ether, or porphyrins) will be prepared with corn starch by crosslinking. Different modifications with selective ligands of NECs will be synthesized to evaluate their behavior in the sorption of PTEs. Batch tests will be carried out to verify the ideal parameters for sorption, such as pH and solid/liquid ratio. The mechanisms, kinetics and sorption equilibrium of metallic ions by NEC derivatives (functionalized NEC and its starch hydrogels) will be elucidated using characterization techniques and sorption assays. It is expected that the composite hydrogels present a high capacity to remove and recover the different metallic ions for the treatment of water contaminated with PTEs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SILVA, MARCELO BRUNO DE OLIVEIRA; COSTA, TALLES BARCELOS DA; CAMANI, PAULO HENRIQUE; ROSA, DERVAL DOS SANTOS. Chitosan-based foam composites for hexavalent chromium remediation: Effect of microcellulose and crosslinking agent content. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 264, p. 12-pg., 2024-03-01. (20/13703-3, 23/11229-0, 22/11133-0, 23/11783-8, 19/16301-6)

FERREIRA, RAFAELA REIS; DA COSTA, TALLES BARCELOS; BARBOSA, RENNAN FELIX DA SILVA; CAMANI, PAULO HENRIQUE; MENEZES, ROMUALDO RODRIGUES; ROSA, DERVAL DOS SANTOS. Brazilian clays as natural cation exchangers for copper sorption in a batch system. ADSORPTION-JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ADSORPTION SOCIETY, v. 30, n. 8, p. 21-pg., 2024-09-26. (20/13703-3, 21/14714-1, 24/08105-0, 23/11229-0, 21/08296-2, 22/11133-0, 23/11783-8, 19/16301-6, 22/01382-3)