Silica gel containing sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen as adsorbent centers on surface for removing copper from aqueous/ethanolic solutions.

Silica gel was modified firstly with aminepropyltrimethoxisilane obtaining the matrix named as SILNH(2). The SILNH(2) silica reacted subsequently with thioglycolic acid Sil-Ntga. The elemental analysis showed the presence of 0.98mmolg(-1) of organic moieties immobilized on silica. Infrared and (13)C NMR spectroscopic data in conjunction with thermogravimetric measurements are in agreement with the suggested functionalization. The ion adsorption properties of the silica Sil-Ntga were studied using copper ions in aqueous/ethanolic solutions in concentrations ranging from 4.0x10(-3) to 5.0x10(-2)moldm(-3) at different temperatures. The new modified silica showed a good sorption ability for copper at lower temperatures and its reuse capacity was demonstrated.