Modification of the Zeolite Heulandite with N-(3-Triethoxysilylpropyl)guanidines Offers an Effective Approach to Enhancing Its Adsorption Capacity for Heavy Metal Ions
Adamovich S.N. Nalibayeva A.M. Abdikalykov Y.N. Turmukhanova M.Z. Filatova E.G. Chugunov A.D. Ushakov I.A. Oborina E.N. Rozentsveig I.B. Verpoort F.
August 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
2025#26Issue 16
Zeolites are widely used as adsorbents due to their porous structure and ion-exchange capabilities. However, their adsorption efficiency for heavy metal ions remains limited. To enhance their performance, the natural zeolite heulandite (Z) was functionalized with guanidine derivatives: N-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]guanidine (1), -aminoguanidine (2), and -acetyl-guanidine (3). The resulting materials (Z1–Z3) were evaluated for their ability to adsorb Co2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ from aqueous solutions. The composition and structure of silanes 1–3 were confirmed by FT-IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy methods. The modified zeolites were characterized using nitrogen adsorption/desorption (BET) and SEM-EDX to confirm their functionalization and assess the structural changes. A TGA-DSC was used to determine the thermal stability. The adsorption experiments were conducted in single and multi-ionic aqueous solutions at pH 5.0 to evaluate metal uptake. Functionalization significantly improved the adsorption efficiency, with Z1–Z3 showing a three to six times greater adsorption capacity than the unmodified zeolite. The adsorption efficiency followed the trend Cu2+ > Co2+ > Ni2+, primarily due to chelate complex formation between the metal ions and guanidine groups. The SEM-EDX confirmed the co-localization of nitrogen atoms and metal ions. The functional materials (Z1–Z3) exhibited strong potential as adsorbents for noble, heavy, and toxic metal ions, and could find applications in industry, agriculture, ecology, medicine, chemistry, wastewater treatment, soil remediation, chemisorption, filtration, chromatography, etc.
adsorption , Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) ions , modification , natural zeolite , silanes
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E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, SB RAS, 1 Favorsky Str., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation
D.V. Sokolsky Institute of Fuel, Catalysis and Electrochemistry, 142 D. Kunaeva Str., Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 Al-Farabi Avenue, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry, Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 83 Lermontov Str., Irkutsk, 664074, Russian Federation
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, 430070, China
Joint Institute of Chemical Research (FFMiEN), Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation
E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry
D.V. Sokolsky Institute of Fuel
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
Department of Chemistry
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing
Joint Institute of Chemical Research (FFMiEN)
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