Co-adsorption and selective-adsorption of heavy metals and dyes from aqueous solution by bio-based humus/chitosan hydrogels.

An eco-friendly adsorbent was prepared by reverse suspension crosslinking method to remove multiple pollutants from aqueous solution. Both raw materials, derived from humus (HS) and chitosan (CS), are biodegradable and low-cost natural biopolymers. After combining HS with CS, the adsorption capacity was significantly improved due to compensation effects between the two components.