ADSORPTION OF COPPER IONS ON CHITOSAN-BASED FILMS FOR DETECTION OF H2S GAS POLLUTANT

Sulfide in its form of free hydrogen sulfide is recognized to cause anxiety at its lower level of concentration, but at a higher level, it causes permanent brain damage, fainting, or even death through asphyxiation. In this study, chitosan films were fabricated, and the copper ions were loaded onto them by way of adsorption to be used in the detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas electrochemically. The results presented an amazing variation in the electrical resistivity and conductivity of the chitosan and copper-loaded chitosan films against time in response to H2S gas adsorption. Also, the results demonstrate a significant increase in the conductivity of the copper-loaded chitosan/H2S film as compared with pure chitosan/H2S. Furthermore, the films were examined after the H2S adsorption process in many ways; resistor-capacitor circuit, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), as well as electron scanning microscopy (SEM). SEM images indicated the successful loading of copper ions onto the chitosan structure.