Development of poly-o-toluidine zirconium (IV) ethylenediamine as a new adsorbent for nitrate: Equilibrium modelling and thermodynamic studies

• Poly-o-toluidine zirconium (IV) ethylenediamine is synthesized and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTA, SEM and TEM. Its potential has been explored as an adsorbent for removal of nitrate ion.
• The material shows high removal affinity for nitrate in the pH range 3–6. The equilibrium sorption data were analysed by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Harkins–Jura and Halsey isotherm models and fitted well to Freundlich model.
• The single-stage batch adsorption system was designed from Freundlich adsorption isotherm parameters for removal of nitrate from aqueous system.

Poly-o-toluidine zirconium(IV) ethylenediamine (PTZE) was synthesized to explore its behaviour towards nitrate sorption. The material was characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTA, SEM and TEM. The adsorption of nitrate onto PTZE was investigated in a batch system at 27 °C. The adsorption equilibrium data were fitted well to Freundlich isotherm model. A single-stage batch adsorption system was also designed from equilibrium data using Freundlich isotherm model. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS0 for nitrate adsorption were calculated. The results showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature.

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