Adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI) by hydroxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: effects of humic acid and surfactants.

The present study investigated the impacts of humic acid (HA) and surfactants (SDBS and CTAB), which were ubiquitously found in the aquatic environments, on the removal of Cr(VI) by the hydroxylated MWCNTs-OH. The results showed that MWCNTs-OH could remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution via adsorption coupled with reduction, and the kinetics followed the pseudo-first-order model with the rate of 3.5 × 10 h. In the presence of anionic SDBS, the removal percentage of Cr(VI) was greatly inhibited because the hydrophobic interaction and π-π interaction between SDBS and MWCNTs-OH surfaces not only decreased the adsorption sites for Cr(VI) but also made the surfaces more negatively charged. On the contrary, the existence of cationic CTAB could lead to the surfaces more positively charged, which consequently enhance the electrostatic attraction between Cr(VI) and the surfaces as well as the removal of Cr(VI). Noticeably, the presence of HA could promote the removal of Cr(VI), which was attributed to the reduction of Cr(VI) by the adsorbed HA. The ESR spectra indicated the existence of π-type radicals in HA structure and conduction electrons in MWCNTs-OH, and then the π-π interaction between MWCNTs-OH and adsorbed HA possibly increase the electron-donating ability of HA. Moreover, the promotive effect of HA could be enhanced with the addition of Ca. This study was helpful for us to understand the role of MWCNTs-OH in controlling the fate of Cr(VI) when HA and surfactants were present.