Carbohydrate Polymers Remove Toxic Metals From Water

Researchers have successfully developed sugar-based polymers that offer a sustainable solution for trapping heavy metals in water. They mimic natural plant polysaccharides, known for binding metal ions, but with improved functionality.

Unlike traditional plant-derived solutions that require additives to adjust solubility, these new polymers are engineered with a water-insoluble backbone and water-soluble carbohydrate structures that allow them to capture metal ions such as lead and cadmium without needing stabilizers.

The team led by Cassandra Callmann from the University of Texas in Austin designed the polymer with specific “charms” or functional groups that make it highly efficient at binding heavy metals. They discovered that incorporating a carboxylic acid group into the polymers enhanced the ability to capture ionic cadmium.

The polymer with carboxylic acid formed visible clumps in lab tests when exposed to contaminated water. This property allows for toxic metals to be filtered and removed easily.

Besides its effectiveness, this polymer can be reused. The team demonstrated that the polymer retained its effectiveness after multiple cycles of metal binding, clumping, and redissolving. Moreover, it could selectively trap heavy metals while ignoring other ions like calcium and magnesium in the water.

Read the full article here to learn more about the carbohydrate polymers.

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