Sorbent hydrogels to control heavy metal pollution in water

Hydrogels are highly attracted for their high swelling and adsorption capacity for pollutants. This chapter introduces hydrogels structure and highlights their adsorption properties. Structural identification methods of hydrogels are described, with investigation of usual methods such as swelling, adsorption capacity, and removal pollutants efficiency. Moreover, adsorption isotherms and kinetic models are presented, discussing adsorption mechanism for pollutants and related thermodynamics parameters of modified hydrogels that guarantee accomplishment of adsorption process. The following sections provide an insight on parameters affecting hydrogels adsorption process and their swelling. To investigate viscoelastic behavior and to ensure formation of 3D hydrogel structure and investigating their structural strength and predicting their performance in adsorption process, rheological, thermal, and morphological tests are explained. This chapter establishes a step forward in hydrogels adsorbents potential in designing, manufacturing, and identification of controlling heavy metal pollution in water.