Green-route synthesis of coordination polymers using terephthalic acid from plastic wastes for the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemical (Atrazine) from aqueous solution

Abstract

Terephthalic acid (TPA) was successfully extracted from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles through alkaline hydrolysis. Coordination Polymers ([Zn(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ], and [Co(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ]), and [Ni(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] (TPA = Terepthalic acid) were synthesized by grinding terepthalic acid extracted from the plastic waste with metal acetate salt via green synthetic method (ball-milling). These were characterised using FTIR, PXRD, BET, Melting Point analysis, UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRF and SEM techniques to investigate the functional groups, structural crystallinity, surface area, thermal stability, electronic transition, elemental composition and morphology of the material, respectively. Adsorption studies for the removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (Atrazine) were carried out to understand their applicability in the removal of pesticide residues from a polluted environment. The study also shows that the synthesized coordination polymers were favorable for Atrazine removal, for which [Co(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ], [Ni(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ], and [Zn(TPA) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 41.322, 52.91 and 60.241 mg/g, respectively. The kinetics study shows that Atrazine adsorption followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and the results showed that the adsorption of Atrazine on the coordination polymers is a spontaneous and exothermic process. Therefore, all the synthesised coordination polymers are promising adsorbents for the removal of Atrazine pesticide in a polluted environment.