title: Enhancing the adsorption capacities of acid dyes by chitosan nano particles.
abstract: In the present study, nanochitosan emulsion has been produced in a suspension form by adding tripolyphosphate solution into a chitosan solution drop-wise. The adsorption capacities of four acid dyes, namely, Acid Orange 10 (AO10), Acid Orange 12 (AO12), Acid Red 18 (AR18) and Acid Red 73 (AR73) on nanochitosan, have been determined to be 1.77, 4.33, 1.37 and 2.13 mmol l(-1), respectively. The nanochitosan dye capacities were compared with normal chitosan capacities which were 1.54, 2.66, 1.11 and 1.25 mmol l(-1) for AO10, AO12, AR18 and AR73, respectively. In all cases, the nanochitosan has a higher capacity. The mechanism of acid dye adsorption and the effect of pH are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McKay
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000143:Acids / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004655:Emulsions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D048271:Chitosan