Adsorption of heavy metal ions by immobilized phytic acid.

Phytic acid (myoinositol hexaphosphate) or its calcium salt, phytate, is an important plant constituent. It accounts for up to 85% of total phosphorus in cereals and legumes. Phytic acid has 12 replaceable protons in the phytic molecule, rendering it the ability to complex with multivalent cations and positively charged proteins. Poly 4-vinyl pyridine (PVP) and other strong-based resins have the ability to adsorb phytic acid. PVP has the highest adsorption capacity of 0.51 phytic acid/resins. The PVP resin was used as the support material for the immobilization of phytic acid. The immobilized phytic acid can adsorb heavy metal ions, such as cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc ions, from aqueous solutions. Adsorption isotherms of the selected ions by immobilized phytic acid were conducted in packed-bed column at room temperature. Results from the adsorption tests showed 6.6 mg of Cd2+, 7 mg of Cu2+, 7.2 mg of Ni2+, 7.4 mg of Pb2+, and 7.7 mg of Zn2+ can be adsorbed by each gram of PVP-phytic acid complex. The use of immobilized phytic acid has the potential for removing metal ions from industrial or mining waste water.