Adsorption Characteristics of Pb(II) and Cr(III) onto C-4-Methoxyphenylcalix[4]Resorcinarene in Batch and Fixed Bed Column Systems

A study on the adsorption characteristics of Pb(II) and Cr(III) cations onto C‐4‐methoxyphenylcalix‐[4]resorcinarene (CMPCR) in batch and fixed bed column systems has been conducted. CMPCR was produced by one step synthesis from resorcinol, 4‐methoxybenzaldehyde, and HCl. The synthesis was carried out at 78 °C for 24 hours and afforded the adsorbent in 85.7% as a 3:2 mixture of C4ν:C2ν isomer. Most parameters in batch and fixed bed column systems confirm that CMPCR is a good adsorbent for Pb(II) and Cr(III), though Pb(II) adsorption was more favorable than that of Cr(III). The adsorption kinetic of Pb(II) and Cr(III) adsorptions in batch and fixed bed column systems followed a pseudo 2n order kinetics model. The rate constant of Pb(II) was higher than that of Cr(III) in the batch system, but this result was contrary to the result obtained in a fixed bed column system. Desorption studies to recover the adsorbed Pb(II) and Cr(III) were performed sequentially with distilled water and HCl, and the results showed that the adsorption was dominated by chemisorption.