Amphoteric and Composited Modification of Semi-Carbonized Fibers Prepared Using Cotton and Acrylic Clothes for De-Risking Heavy Metal-Contaminated Water

We report the amphoteric and composited modification of semi-carbonized fibers (SCFs) prepared using cotton and acrylic clothes for de-risking heavy metal-contaminated water to realize the resource utilization of waste clothes in wastewater treatment. Adsorption capacities of heavy metal on different samples increased with the increase of equilibrium concentration of heavy metal, and the isotherm was more suitable for Langmuir model fitting than that of the Freundlich model. The adsorption effect of modified SCF prepared with acrylic clothes was better than that when cotton clothes were used. Increasing pH and temperature and decreasing ionic strength were beneficial to the adsorption of heavy metal. Electrostatic attraction, precipitation, complexation, and ion exchange were the main adsorption mechanisms. The specific surface area and cation exchange capacity of modified SCF were key to determining the maximum adsorption capacity of the heavy metal. Results indicated that the proposed material is practical and eco-friendly for heavy metals in commercial wastewater treatment