Removal of Lead, Cadmium, and Aluminum Sulfate from Simulated and Real Water with Native and Oxidized Starches

The separation of toxic pollutants such as Pb2+, Cd2+, and Al3+ from water is a constant challenge as contamination of natural water bodies is increasing. Al3+ and especially Pb2+ and Cd2+ are ecotoxic and highly toxic for humans, even in ppb concentrations, and therefore removal below a dangerous level is demanding. Herein, the potential adsorber material starch, being ecofriendly, cheap, and abundantly available, was investigated. Thus, four different native starch samples (potato, corn, waxy corn, and wheat starch) and two oxidized starches (oxidized potato and corn starch) were comprehensively analyzed with streaming potential and charge density measurements, SEM-EDX, ATR-FTIR, 1H-NMR, and TGA. Subsequently, the starch samples were tested for the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Al3+ from the respective sulfate salt solution. The adsorption process was analyzed by ICP-OES and SEM-EDX, and the adsorption isotherms were fitted comparing Langmuir, Sips, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. Oxidized starch, for which chemical modification is one of the simplest, and also native potato starch were excellent natural adsorber materials for Al3+, Cd2+, and especially Pb2+ in the low concentration range, exhibiting maximum adsorption capacities of 84, 71, and 104 µmol/g for oxidized potato starch, respectively.