Removal of heavy metals from aqueous phases using chemically modified waste Lyocell fiber

[Display omitted] •Waste Lyocell fiber was chemically modified into cellulose xanthate.•The sorbent showed high affinity for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions.•The sorbent also showed strong Cu(II) selectivity in Pb(II)–Cd(II)–Cu(II) ternary metal solutions. In this study, an outstanding performance of chemically modified waste Lyocell for heavy metals treatment is reported. The sorbent, which was prepared by a simple and concise method, was able to bind heavy metals such as Pb(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II), with very high efficiencies. The binding mechanisms were studied through adsorption and standard characterization tests such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses. Adsorption kinetics was very fast and attained equilibrium within 5min in all metals studied. The maximum single metal uptakes were 531.29±0.28mg/g, 505.64±0.21mg/g, and 123.08±0.26mg/g for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II), respectively. In ternary metal systems, Cu(II) selectivity was observed and the underlying factors were discussed. The sorbent by its nature, could be very effective in treating large volumes of wastewater with the contact of very little amount.