Abstract: | Abstract Adsorption gel was prepared from waste recycled paper by immobilizing iminodiacetic acid (IDA) functional group by chemical modification. The gel exhibited good adsorption behavior for a number of metal ions viz. Cu(II), Pb(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Co(II) at acidic pH. The order of selectivity was found to be as follows: Cu(II)>Pb(II)>Fe(III)>Ni(II)~Cd(II)~Co(II). From the adsorption isotherms, the maximum adsorption capacity of the gel for both Cu(II) and Pb(II) was found to be 0.47 mol/kg whereas that for Cd(II) was 0.24 mol/kg. A continuous flow experiment for Cd(II) showed that the gel can be useful for pre‐concentration and complete removal of Cd(II) from aqueous solution. |