Polypropylene Spheres Functionalized with Water-Soluble Vinyl Polymers by Photografting for Water Remediation

Polypropylene spheres (PPs) were successfully functionalized with water-soluble polymers by single- or two-step photografting of vinyl monomers. Acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) were used as functionalizing monomers. All functionalized PPs can remove heavy metal ions from water solutions. The functional polymers grafted on the surface of the PPs ensured good adsorption efficiency of heavy metal ions, and the insoluble PPs allowed easy removal of the sorbent from the water medium. Metal ions previously adsorbed on PPs-PAAs were desorbed almost completely, and three cycles of adsorption and desorption demonstrated the possible reusability of this sorbent. Finally, the data show that some functionalized PPs are effective for other applications in the water remediation sector. Indeed, PAA- and PAMPS-functionalized PPs can effectively remove toxic dyes from water, and PVP-functionalized PPs can generate the povidone-iodine complex for possible application as a water disinfectant.