Adsorption of mercury(II), methyl mercury(II) and phenyl mercury(II) on chitosan cross-linked with a barbital derivative

► A novel Barbital cross-linked chitosan (BG-Chitosan) is prepared for the first time and used for the removal of HgII, C6H5Hg and CH3Hg. ► Better kinetics was depicted with BG-Chitosan than glutaraldehyde cross-linked chitosan (G-Chitosan). ► Inorganic mercury is well reported in literature but organic forms of mercury are scarcely studied with chitosan and its modified forms.