Orientational mercury removal from aqueous solution using Cu_xS nanocluster anchored attapulgite

Toxic mercury-containing wastewater emitted from mining and nonferrous metallurgy seriously threatens human health and aquatic ecosystem. Effective mercury removal interfered with other coexisting metal ions in wastewater poses major challenges, requiring simple and sustainable methods. Here, a novel CuxS nanocluster-anchored attapulgite (ATP@CuxS) is tailored for orientational mercury adsorption from wastewater. The adsorbent exhibited an unparalleled Hg2+ adsorption capacity of 746.48 mg g(-1) among ever-reported clay-based adsorbents. Mercury-containing wastewater with a concentration of 5 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 0.6 g/L, and pH of 6.5 was similar to 100 % removed within 20 min, and no interference by coexisting anionic and cation ions was observed. In-situ intercalation and vulcanization of Cu2+ on ATP base constructs nanoclusters shaped CuxS that provide abundant active sites for Hg2+ adsorption. The interfacial electrical compatibility makes a compact and stable composite. Hydrophilic ATP modulated the uniform dispersion performance of ATP@CuxS, and the dense CuxS package contributed to easier sedimentation and recovery. Furthermore, Hg2+ removal efficiency was maintained at 70 % after 8 times repetitions, indicating a feasibility as a mass-generated adsorbent. The proposed interface engineering creates an easily accessible system that combines capacity, selectivity, and reusability for orientational removal of Hg2+ from wastewater.