Synthesis and fabrication of antibacterial hydrogel beads based on modified-gum tragacanth/poly(vinyl alcohol)/Ag0 highly efficient sorbent for hard water softening

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 225; pp. 259 - 269
• Main Authors: Mohammadian, Moghadese, Sahraei, Razieh, Ghaemy, Mousa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2019
• Subjects: Adsorption; Antibacterial; Gum tragacanth; Hydrogel beads; Water softening; Water softening; Hydrogel beads; Gum tragacanth; Antibacterial; Adsorption
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.040

In the current study, hard water softening for the removal of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions was performed using hydrogel beads based on Gum Tragacance (GT) modified by using 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and poly(vinyl alcohol). The antibacterial spherical hydrogel beads were fabricated by instantaneous gelation of well dispersed mixture of poly(AMPS)-g-GT (1 g), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA, 1 g) flocculent, green-synthesized silver metal nanoparticles (AgNPs, 10 mg), and graphene oxide (GO, 10 mg) in the acetone solution of boric acid and then transferring into the different amounts (0.5–2.5 mL) of acidic solution of glutaraldehyde (GA) as cross-linker. The beads were fully characterized and their adsorption behavior matched well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and the Langmuir isotherm models with the maximum adsorption of Ca2+(114.18 mg g−1) and Mg2+(162.46 mg g−1). The removal ability of the beads decreased by 6% after four adsorption/desorption cycles. The antibacterial performance of the hydrogel beads was also investigated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
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•Antibacterial hydrogel beads were fabricated based on natural/synthetic polymers.•Ag0 nanoparticles were prepared from Ag+ ions by using Achilleamillefolium extract.•The beads were used as an effective adsorbent for softening of hard water.•The beads adsorption capacity was 114.18 mg g−1for Ca2+ and 162.46 mg g−1for Mg+2.•Antibacterial performance of the beads containing Ag0 nanoparticles was examined.