Tunable surface charge of ZnS:Cu nano-adsorbent induced the selective preconcentration of cationic dyes from wastewater.

A novel environmentally friendly nano-adsorbent is developed by doping Cu(+) cations into the lattice of ZnS microspheres. The adsorbent shows selective adsorbability for cationic dyes in low concentrations in wastewater. The adsorbed dye could be successfully eluted with alcohol, resulting in a 1000 fold enrichment of the dye solution.