Methylglycinediacetic Acid as a New Complexing Agent for Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Industrial Wastewater

Sorption is a suitable method for the removal of all contaminants in the ionic form, also including heavy metal ions in the presence of complexing agents from different systems. The aim of this study was a comparison of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Pb(II) sorption in the presence of a complexing agent of a new generation on the strongly basic anion exchangers Amberjet 4200, Amberjet 4600, and Purolite A 520E under different chemical conditions. In the investigation, methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), patented by BASF The Chemical Company (Germany) and marketed under the brand name Trilon M, was used. It is a strong complexing agent, readily biodegradable in compliance with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards. It was found that the sorption efficiency of strongly basic anion exchangers varied, depending on the metal ions concentration, the pH, the contact time, the temperature, and the properties of anion exchangers, that is, their forms. From the determined breakthrough curves, the distribution coefficients and the ion exchange capacities were calculated. Besides, two different kinetic behaviors were tested for the investigated systems. The experimental data fitted using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Elovich sorption models, were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms and determine the isotherm constants. The variations of thermodynamic functions were also calculated.