The presence of heavy metals in surface water and groundwater
causes an important environmental problem which further makes the
phenomenon of water shortage more serious in recent years [1,2].
With the development of chemical, metallurgy and electronic industry,
pollutants containing copper (such as copper powder detergent wastewater,
electroplating wastewater and alkali ammonia etching wastewater)
are widely released into the environment by careless disposal
methods used in different industrial activities [3–9]. Intake of excess
copper will stimulate the digestive system and cause abdominal pain,
diarrhea and vomit. If the content of it in human body is excessive in
long term, it can cause the disease of liver cirrhosis. Superfluous copper
compounds contacted by skin may lead to dermatitis and eczema, skin
necrosis can also occur when exposed to high concentrations of copper
compounds [9]. Therefore, it is very important to choose a simple and
effective way to remove it from wastewater. Up to date, removal of copper
ion from water is usually realized by ion exchange, chemical precipitation,
membrane separation, electrolytic process, electro-dialysis,
microbial reduction and adsorption [10–14]. Compared with alternativ