Sugarcane bagasse hydroxyl groups were chemically modified with phthalic anhydride.
Carboxylate-functionalized sugarcane bagasse (SPA) was used as a bioadsorbent.
Co2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ removal by SPA was studied in mono– and multicomponent systems.
SPA was successfully desorbed using 1 mol/L HNO3 solution, recovered, and reused.
Qmax were 0.561, 0.935, and 0.932 mmol/g for Co2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+, respectively.