Eco-Friendly Hydrogel Beads from Seashell Waste for Efficient Removal of Heavy Metals from Water

The objective of this study is to develop a calcium carbonate-based adsorbent derived from seashells, incorporated into a sodium alginate matrix (Na-Alg@CTs) to form hydrogel beads, for the efficient removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) heavy metals from aqueous solutions. XRD, SEM/EDS, and FTIR analysis confirm the successful synthesis and characterization of the fabricated adsorbent. The adsorption study of Cu (II) and Zn (II) onto Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads revealed that the Langmuir model was the most suitable for characterizing the adsorption isotherms, suggesting monolayer coverage. Na-Alg@CTs exhibited a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 368.58 mg/g and 1075.67 mg/g for Cu (II) and Zn (II), respectively. Additionally, the kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that the adsorption process is primarily governed by chemisorption. The thermodynamic study suggests that the uptake of metal ions on Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads is spontaneous and endothermic. The exceptional adsorption capacity, eco-friendly nature, and low-cost characteristics of Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads make them an ideal adsorbent for the removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) from wastewater.