Crosslinked poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-based resin for removal of mercury from aqueous solutions

Glycidyl methacrylate-based resin crosslinked beads with acetamide functions were demonstrated to be efficient in the removal of mercury. Beaded polymer supports were prepared by suspension polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (0.9 mol) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (0.1 mol). The resulting copolymer beads were modified through epoxy functions in two steps: (1) by treatment with excess dibutyl amine and (2) by subsequent reaction with chloroacetamide. The resulting polymer resin, which had a chloroacetamide content of 2.5 mmol/g, was effective in extracting mercury from aqueous solutions. The mercury sorption capacity was around 2.2 mmol/g in nonbuffered conditions. Experiments performed in identical conditions with several metal ions revealed that Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), and Fe(III) ions also were extractable in low quantities (0.2-0.8 mmol/g). The sorbed mercury could be eluted by repeated treatment with hot acetic acid without hydrolysis of the amide groups.