Desalination and Water Treatment

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*Corresponding author.
1944-3994 / 1944-3986 © 2019 Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.
Desalination and Water Treatment
www.deswater.com
doi:10.5004/dwt.2019.24148
159 (2019) 338–345
August
Detection and removing of lead from wastewater using chemical treatment 
of polyurethane foam waste: Batch and column experiments
E.A. Moawed*, M.A. El-Hagrasy, M. Kamal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, P.O. Box: 34517, Damietta, Egypt, Fax [phone], 
email: [e-mail] (E.A. Moawed), [e-mail] (M.A. El-Hagrasy),
[e-mail] (M. Kamal)
Received 23 October 2018; Accepted 20 March 2019
a b s t r a c t
A new inexpensive sorbent was prepared from the waste of polyurethane foam (PUF) which highly 
surface polarity and sorption capacity. PUF was modified by adding amino, chloro and hydroxyl 
groups to its matrix. The polyamine polyhydroxy polyurethane chloride (PPPC) was characterized 
by using elemental analysis (EA), bulk conductivity (BC,σ), infrared/ultraviolet/visible spectra 
(IR/UV/Vis), pH point zero charge (pH
ZCP
), thermal analysis (TGA/DTA/DSC), scanning electron 
microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PPPC owned improved stability in acidic/alka-
line solutions and organic solvents. The pH
ZPC
of PPPC was 5.1 and the maximum values of ∆pH 
of PPPC are + 1.5 and –3.8 at pH 3.2 and pH 8.3. The σ of PPPC was 2.6×10
–5
Ω
–1
m
–1
. PPPC contains 
several active groups (NH
2
, Cl, OH, C=O, C=C, and C-O-C) which classified as an effective sorbent 
for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of Pb(II) ions from wastewater. The removing rate of the Pb(II) 
ions onto PPPC was very fast with half-life time (t
1/2
) 1.13 min at pH range 3–7. The value of ∆Η for 
the sorption Pb(II) ions were –22.9 kJ/mol; these revealed that the values the extraction process is 
exothermic in nature. The recovery percentage of Pb(II) ions are 99–105% with relative standard 
deviation (RSD) 2.49% (n = 7).
Keywords: 
Polyurethane foam; Removal; Lead; Nile water; Wastewater