Carboxyl‐containing starch graft polymer: Preparation and use in heavy metal removal

Abstract

Abstract Water‐insoluble carboxyl‐containing starches were prepared by grafting acrylonitrile onto a highly crosslinked starch followed by base saponification to convert nitrile groups into a mixture of carboxamide and carboxylate groups. Ceric ammonium nitrate or ferrous sulfate–hydrogen peroxide was used to initiate graft polymerization of acrylonitrile. The isolated products were evaluated for the removal of Cd 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Pb 2+ from aqueous solution.