The composites of alginate, carbon nanotube, and iron(III) oxide were prepared for the removal of heavy metal in aqueous pollutant. Both alginate and carbon nanotube were used as an adsorbent material and iron oxide was introduced for the easy recovery after removal of heavy metal to eliminate the secondary pollution. The morphology of composites was investigated by FE-SEM showing the carbon nanotubes coated with alginate and the iron oxide dispersed in the alginate matrix. The ferromagnetic properties of composites were shown by including iron(III) oxide additive. The copper ion removal was investigated with ICP AES. The copper ion removal efficiency increased greatly over 60% by using alginate-carbon nanotube composites.

The oxygen and nitrogen enriched activated carbons were obtained from modification of commercial activated carbon by using nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and urea. Zeta-potentials of modified activated carbons were investigated in relation to copper ion adsorption. The structural properties of modified activated carbons were not so much changed, but the zeta-potentials and isoelectric points were considerably changed. The zeta-potential of nitric acid modified activated carbon was the most negative than other activated carbons in the entire pH region, and the pHIEP was shifted from pH 4.8 to 2.6, resulted in the largest copper ion adsorption capacities compare with other activated carbons in the range of pH 3~6.5. In case of urea modified activated carbon, copper ion adsorption was larger than that of the as-received activated carbon from pH 2 to pH 6.5 even though the pHIEP was shifted to pH 6.0, it was due to the coordination process operated between nitrogen functional groups and copper ion. The adsorption capacity of copper ion was much influenced by zeta-potential and pHIEP of carbon adsorbent.