Distinguished Cr(VI) capture with rapid and superior capability using polydopamine microsphere: Behavior and mechanism.

Toxic heavy metal containing Cr(VI) species is a serious threat for ecological environment and human beings. In this work, a new mussel-inspired polydopamine microsphere (PDA-sphere) is prepared through in situ oxidative polymerization at air condition with controllable sizes. The adsorption of Cr(VI) ions onto PDA-sphere is highly pH dependent with the optimal pH ranging from 2.