Finding novel ways to remove ground water contamination has become an important and popular field of research because of the many potential health risks that contaminants create and because of the economic burden that removing these contaminants possess. Uranium and arsenic are of particular interest because they have similar properties in the way they are absorbed and because both pose severe health risks. Arsenic is poisonous if consumed. Uranium is both toxic and radioactive.

Chitin and chitosan have shown promise as potential materials to act as filters for removing these contaminates. Chitin is a natural polymer found in the shells of crustaceans, the walls of fungi, and in the beaks of squid. Chitosan is created by the deacetylation of chitin. The functional groups present on chitosan, the amine and hydroxyl groups act as a chelating site for metal ions. By cross linking this material a compound with increased adsorption properties is created. This increase is attributed to the assistance of the carboxyl groups in chelation as well as the carboxyl group’s ability to stabilize heavy metals.
CHITIN
CHITOSAN

To create this complex, chitosan will be degraded into a monomer by lowering the pH using an acid. The compound will then be re-polymerized onto gold mesh through electrodeposition. The chitosan films will then be exposed to ultra violet light, which will act as an initiator for the cross linking the chitosan. The properties of this material will then be examined and modifications will be made to find cheaper materials to make the filter and to increase adsorption.