CuxS Nanoclusters Anchored on Melamine Sponges for Mercury Extraction from Wastewater

Mercury pollution in water poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. There is an urgent need for developing effective and sustainable methods for controlling mercury contamination. In this work, modulated and easily accessed CuxS nanoclusters were introduced and anchored in situ onto the surface of a carbonized melamine sponge (C-ML) for the preparation of a porous filter. Polydopamine (PDA) was used as an interface between CuxS nanoclusters and C-ML for the robust construction. The prepared CuxS/PDA@C-ML filter displayed high extraction efficiency and selective affinity for Hg2+, and a complexation reaction was discovered during Hg2+ immobilization. The pilot-scale test conducted with 1.5 tons of Hg2+-containing wastewater (initial concentration 5.0 mu g/L) for 26 days revealed that the proposed filter presented extraordinary stability with hardly any run off loss of Cu and S, and Hg2+ concentration at the outlet met the drinking water standard of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This research potentially offers a sustainable and affordable approach for eliminating Hg2+ from wastewater and is promising for scale-up applications.

Automated summary

This research presents a sustainable and affordable approach for eliminating Hg2+ pollution from water using CuxS nanoclusters and PDA. The prepared filter shows high extraction efficiency and selective affinity for Hg2+ and demonstrates remarkable stability in pilot-scale testing.