Complexation mechanism and adsorption modes of Cu (II) ions by wool keratin powder

Abstract The excessive presence of Cu (II) ions in wastewater has led to various health problems. Using wool keratin powder adsorbent, the adsorption of Cu (II) ions in wastewater was explored. The adsorption mechanism and efficiency of keratin powder towards Cu (II) ions were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the particle size of keratin powder has a significant impact on its adsorption performances. Keratin powder with smaller particle size has more adsorption sites, larger specific surface area, higher porosity and more effective adsorption capacity. After adsorption of Cu (II), the average diameter of keratin powder increased by 11.48 μm. The adsorption capacity reached 58.95 mg g −1 , and the adsorption efficiency reached 99.52% after 12 h of contact time. The research results not only provide an effective solution for Cu (II) ion pollution in wastewater, but also explore the resource utilization of waste wool.