Removal of lead(II) from aqueous stream by hydrophilic modified kapok fiber using the Fenton reaction

A hydrophilic kapok fiber was prepared by a chemical process of the Fenton reaction and used as an adsorbent to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solution. The effects of experimental parameters including pH, contact time, Pb(II) concentration, and coexisting heavy metals were estimated as well as evaluated. The optimum concentrations of FeSO₄ and H₂O₂ for the Fenton reaction-modified kapok fiber (FRKF) were 0.5 mol L^?1 and 1 mol L^?1, respectively. The adsorption kinetic models and isotherm equations of Langmuir and Freundlich were conducted to identify the most optimum adsorption rate and adsorption capacity of Pb(II) on FRKF. The FRKF displayed an excellent adsorption rate for Pb(II) in single metal solution with the maximum adsorption capacity of 94.41?±?7.56 mg g^?1 at pH 6.0. Moreover, the FRKE still maintained its adsorption advantage of Pb(II) in the mixed metal solution. The FRKF exhibited a considerable potential in removal of metal content in wastewater streams.     

Removal of lead (II) from synthetic and batteries wastewater using agricultural residues in batch/column mode

The present article explores the ability of five different combinations of two adsorbents (Arachis hypogea shell powder and Eucalyptus cameldulensis saw dust) to remove Pb(II) from synthetic and lead acid batteries wastewater through batch and column mode. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial Pb(II) concentration and contact time were investigated with synthetic solutions in batch mode. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study revealed that carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups were mostly responsible for the removal of Pb(II) ions from test solutions. The kinetic data were found to follow pseudo-second-order model with correlation coefficient of 0.99. Among Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models, the Langmuir model provided the best fit to the equilibrium data with maximum adsorption capacity of 270.2 mg g^?1. Column studies were carried out using lead battery wastewater at different flow rates and bed depths. Two kinetic models, viz. Thomas and Bed depth service time model, were applied to predict the breakthrough curves and breakthrough service time. The Pb(II) uptake capacity (q _e = 540.41 mg g^?1) was obtained using bed depth of 35 cm and a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1 at 6.0 pH. The results from this study showed that adsorption capacity of agricultural residues in different combinations is much better than reported by other authors, authenticating that the prepared biosorbents have potential in remediation of Pb-contaminated waters.     

Adsorption of aqueous Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) ions by amorphous tin(VI) hydrogen phosphate: an excellent inorganic adsorbent

Amorphous tin(VI) hydrogen phosphate (ATHP) was synthesized using the liquid phase precipitation method and served as an adsorbent to remove Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions. The ATHP was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption techniques. Adsorption properties were evaluated as a function of pH, reaction time, concentration of reactants, and salinity. Their equilibrium adsorption data were modeled using Freundlich, Langmuir, and Dubinin–Kaganer–Radushkevich isotherms, respectively. The results revealed that adsorption equilibrium reached within 180 min. ATHP indicated good adsorption even below the pH_ZPC, and best adsorption at pH 5 for Pb(II) and Cu(II) and at pH 5.5 for Zn(II) was observed. Equilibrium data fitted better to the Langmuir model for Pb(II) and Cu(II) and fitted better to the Freundlich model for Zn(II). The saturated adsorption capacities deduced from the Langmuir model were 2.425, 1.801, and 0.600 mmol/g for Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II), respectively, indicating an adsorption affinity order of Cu > Pb > Zn. There is a negative correlation between the concentration of NaCl and adsorption capacity of ATHP, yet ATHP still exhibited excellent adsorption having an adsorption capacity of 19.35, 15.16, 6.425 mg/g when the concentration of NaCl was 0.6 mol/L. The free energy (E) was 12.33, 10.70, and 14.74 kJ/mol for Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II), respectively. An adsorption mechanism based on ion exchange between heavy metal ions and H⁺ in the ATHP is proposed. Furthermore, the used ATHP was regenerated by HCl solution and the adsorbent was used repeatedly.     

Utilization of ochre as an adsorbent to remove Pb(II) and Cu(II) from contaminated aqueous media

The ability of ochre to remove Pb(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous media has been studied by batch sorption studies varying the contact time, initial metal concentration, initial solution pH and temperature to understand the adsorption behaviour of these metals through adsorption kinetics and isotherms. The pH of the solution and the temperature controlled the adsorption of metal ions by ochre and rapid uptake occurred in the first 30 min of reaction. The kinetics of adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order rate equation (R ² > 0.99) and the isotherms are well described by the Freundlich model. Adsorption of metals onto ochre is endothermic in nature. Between the two metals, Pb(II) showed more preference towards the exchangeable sites on ochre than Cu(II). This study indicates that ochre is a very effective adsorbent in removing Pb(II) and Cu(II) from the aqueous environment with an adsorptive capacity of 0.996 and 0.628 mg g^?1 and removal efficiency of 99.68 and 62.80 %, respectively.     

Removal of cadmium (II) from aqueous solution and natural water samples using polyurethane foam/organobentonite/iron oxide nanocomposite adsorbent

A novel polyurethane foam/organobentonite/iron oxide nanocomposite adsorbent was successfully prepared via in situ polymerization of toluene diisocyanate and polyol in presence of 5 wt% organobentonite/iron oxide. The obtained nanocomposite was characterized in detail, and the results revealed that the clay layers are exfoliated and/or intercalated in the polymer matrix forming a nanocomposite structure. The application of the prepared nanocomposite for adsorption of cadmium ions from aqueous solution was tested as a function of various experimental parameters using batch procedures. Adsorptive removal of Cd(II) onto the nanocomposite attained maximum at adsorbent content 1.5 g/L, pH 6, and the equilibrium was established within 60 min. Kinetic studies showed that the experimental data fit very well to pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption process proceeds through three steps. It was found that external liquid film and intraparticle diffusion steps deeply affect the rate of Cd²⁺ ions adsorption onto the synthesized nanocomposite. Langmuir isotherm model fitted the adsorption data better than Freundlich with a maximum adsorption capacity (q _m) for Cd(II) equal to 78 mg/g under the specified experimental conditions. The synthesized nanocomposite afforded effective extraction for Cd²⁺ ions from natural water samples and excellent reusability feature. This study declares the potential efficiency of a new clay/polymer nanocomposite as alternative for wastewater remediation.     

Kinetic and equilibrium study of Ni(II) sorption from aqueous solutions onto Peganum harmala-L

In this study, the adsorption behavior of Ni(II) in an aqueous solution system using natural adsorbent Peganum harmala-L was measured via batch mode. The prepared sorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N₂ adsorption–desorption and pH_zpc. Adsorption experiments were carried out by varying several conditions such as contact time, metal ion concentration and pH to assess kinetic and equilibrium parameters. The equilibrium data were analyzed based on the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms. Kinetic data were analyzed using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particular diffusion models. Experimental data showed that at contact time 60 min, metal ion concentration 50 mg/L and pH 6, a maximum amount of Ni(II) ions can be removed. The experimental data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm model as is evident from the high R ² value of 0.988. The adsorption capacity (q _m) obtained was 68.02 mg/g at an initial pH of 6 and a temperature of 25 °C. Kinetic studies of the adsorption showed that equilibrium was reached within 60 min of contact and the adsorption process followed the pseudo-first-order model. The obtained results show that P. harmala-L can be used as an effective and a natural low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Ni(II) from aqueous solutions.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxy sodalite from fly ash for the removal of lead ions from water

Zeolites are known to possess valuable physiochemical properties such as adsorption, cation exchange, molecular sieving, and catalysis. In addition, zeolites are highly selective scavengers of a variety of heavy metals from liquid effluents through the process of ion exchange. The present study was performed to hydrothermally synthesize Na₈[AlSiO₄]₆(OH)₂·2H₂O (also known as hydroxy sodalite hydrate). Due to its small aperture size, this material can be an ideal candidate for the separation of small molecules and ions from aquatic and gas mixtures. Synthetic zeolites offer many advantages over natural zeolites, such as higher ion affinity and adsorption capacity. Batch adsorption isotherm studies were conducted to evaluate the obtained adsorbent for the lead ion removal from aqueous media. Modeling lead ion adsorption using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm expressions determined the capacity of the adsorbent. A removal efficiency of 98.1 % in a 3.0 g/l adsorbent/solution mixture with a maximum adsorption capacity of 153.8 mg/g was obtained. One potential application of the synthesized zeolite is for the lead removal in point-of-use treatment devices.     

Preparation and characterization of biosorbents and copper sequestration from simulated wastewater

This paper reports the potential of chemically treated wood chips to remove copper (II) ions from aqueous solution a function of pH, adsorbent dose, initial copper (II) concentration and contact time by batch technique. The wood chips were treated with (a) boiling, (b) formaldehyde and (c) concentrated sulphuric acid and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis X-ray. pH 5.0 was optimum with 86.1, 88.5 and 93.9 % copper (II) removal by boiled, formaldehyde-treated and concentrated sulphuric acid-treated wood chips, respectively, for dilute solutions at 20 g L^?1 adsorbent dose. The experimental data were analysed using Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Temkin isotherm models. It was found that Freundlich and Langmuir models fitted better the equilibrium adsorption data and the adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics. The results showed that the copper (II) is considerably adsorbed on wood chips and it could be an economical option for the removal of copper from aqueous systems.     

Effective removal of zinc from an aqueous solution using Turkish leonardite–clinoptilolite mixture as a sorbent

In this study, the feasibility of using a low-cost adsorbent mixture composed of leonardite (L) and clinoptilolite (C) was evaluated by batch adsorption method using different parameters such as mixing ratio, contact time, pH, temperature, and adsorbent amount for the removal of Zn (II) ions from an aqueous solution. The adsorbents were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, leonardite–clinoptilolite mixture was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray. The Zn (II) adsorption along with an unprecedented adsorption capacity of 454.55 mg g^?1 for unmodified natural sorbents was obtained by mixing leonardite and clinoptilolite (LC) without any pretreatment at a ratio of 3:1, using 0.1 g of sorbent at a pH 6, for 2 h of contact time. The experimental data showed a good fit for the Langmuir isotherm model. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the present adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic in nature (25–50 °C). The kinetic results of the adsorption showed that the Zn (II) adsorption onto the LC follows pseudo-second-order model. The resultant LC mixture has an excellent adsorption capacity of a Zn (II) aqueous solution, and data obtained may form the basis for utilization of LC as an unpretreated low-cost adsorbent for treatment of metalliferous industrial wastewater.     

Equilibrium studies on removal of lead (II) ions from aqueous solution by adsorption using modified red mud

In the present experimental study, solid waste was used as an adsorbent and the effectiveness of the adsorbent was increased by novel treatment methods. Red mud, acid-treated activated red mud and iron oxide-coated acid-treated activated red mud were used for the removal of lead (II). The structural and functional groups were identified to confirm the removal of lead (II) by powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The enhancement of surface area was confirmed by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. Batch adsorption experiment was also conducted, and various parameters such as the effect of adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time and initial ion concentration were analyzed and reported. Adsorption equilibrium data were investigated using Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models with three parameters, and the rate of reaction was examined through kinetic models. The results indicate that in particular a novel modified form of red mud, namely iron oxide-coated acid-treated activated red mud was well fitted in lead (II) removal compared with reported adsorbents. The Langmuir isotherm shows that the maximum adsorption of adsorbate per gram was greater than other adsorbents (27.02 mg/g). In Freundlich isotherm, the Freundlich constant n values lie between 1 and 10 indicate the favorable adsorption. The calculated n values for normal red mud, acid-treated activated red mud and iron oxide-coated acid-treated activated red mud were found to be 1.9, 2.1 and 2.0 respectively. The correlation coefficient value was higher and the rate of reaction follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.     

Hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous solutions by using low-cost biological wastes: equilibrium and kinetic studies

The batch removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions using almond shell, activated sawdust, and activated carbon, which are low-cost biological wastes under different experimental conditions, was investigated in this study. The influences of initial concentration, adsorbent dose, adsorbent particle size, agitation speed, temperature, contact time, and pH of solution were investigated. The adsorption was solution pH dependent and the maximum adsorption was observed at a solution pH of 2.0. The capacity of chromium adsorption under equilibrium conditions increased with the decrease in particle sizes. The equilibrium was achieved for chromium ion after 30?min. Experimental results showed that low-cost biosorbents are effective for the removal of pollutants from aqueous solution. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model gave a better fit of the experimental data as compared to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Experimental data showed a good fit with the Freundlich isotherm model. Changes in the thermodynamic parameters, including Gibbs free energy (??G_o), enthalpy (??H_o), and entropy (??S_o), indicated that the biosorption of hexavalent chromium onto almond shell, activated sawdust, and activated carbon was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic in the temperature range 28?C50?°C.     

Sorption of lead by chemically modified rice bran

In this work, the effectiveness of native and chemically modified rice bran to remove heavy metal Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution was examined. Chemical modifications with some simple and low-cost chemicals resulted in enhancement of the adsorption capacities and had faster kinetics than native rice bran. Experiments were conducted in shake flasks to monitor the upshot of parameters over a range of pH, initial Pb(II) concentrations and contact times using a batch model study. The sorption capacities q (mg g^?1) increased in the following order: NaOH (147.78), Ca(OH)₂ (139.08), Al(OH)₃ (127.24), esterification (124.28), NaHCO₃ (118.08), methylation (118.88), Na₂CO₃ (117.12) and native (80.24). The utmost uptake capacity q (mg g^?1) was shown by NaOH-pretreated rice bran. The results showed that, using NaOH-modified rice bran, the chief removal of Pb(II) was 74.54 % at pH 5, primary Pb(II) concentration 100 mg L^?1 and contact time 240 min. Equilibrium isotherms for the Pb(II) adsorption were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The Langmuir isotherm model, showing Pb(II) sorption as accessible through the high value of the correlation coefficient (R ² = 0.993), showed a q _max value of 416.61 mg g^?1. The kinetic model illustrated adsorption rates well, depicted by a second order, which gives an indication concerning the rate-limiting step. Thermodynamic evaluation of the metal ion ?G ^o was carried out and led to the observation that the adsorption reaction is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. NaOH chemically modified rice bran was a superb biosorbent for exclusion of Pb(II) and proved to be excellent for industrial applications.     

Removal of zinc(II) from aqueous solutions using modified agricultural wastes: kinetics and equilibrium studies

In recent years, the need for safe and economical methods to eliminate heavy metals from contaminated waters has necessitated research on the production of low-cost alternatives to commercially available activated carbon. In the present work, in order to enhance the removal of heavy metals from contaminated water, Zizyphus vulgaris wastes were modified chemically to produce an adsorbent rich in carboxylic groups to enhance the removal of heavy metals from contaminated water. Adsorption of Zn(II) ions on the produced adsorbent was then optimized. The optimal ratio for esterification involved the treatment of Z. vulgaris wastes (1 g) with 0.0037 mmol malic acid in the presence of a very small amount of water for 2 h at 140 °C. The maximum values for adsorption capacity, q _max, were 28.7 and 164.6 mg/g on native and modified Z. vulgaris wastes, respectively, at pH 5 and 30 °C with a contact time 2 h and an initial metal ion concentration of 400 mg/L. The equilibrium data were well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models and demonstrated the significant capacity for Z. vulgaris wastes in the removal of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solutions.     

Adsorptive removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) onto mixed-waste activated carbon: kinetic,thermodynamic, and competitive studies and application to real wastewater samples

This work aimed to investigate the adsorption characteristics, both kinetically and thermodynamically, of Cu(II) and Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions onto mixed-waste activated carbon, as well as to study the competitive behavior found in mixed heavy metal solution systems. This study shows that activated carbon prepared from mixed waste is an effective adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solutions, with the aim of detoxifying industrial effluents before their safe disposal onto water surfaces. The adsorption process was characterized in terms of kinetic and thermodynamic studies. In addition, the influence of presence of Cu(II) and Pb(II) in a competitive system was investigated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacities were gained at a pH of 6 with a contact time of 180 min, a metal solution concentration of 300 ppm, and an adsorbent dose of 0.3 g/L. The adsorption process was found to follow a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG ^o, ΔH ^o, and ΔS ^o showed that the sorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. A competitive study demonstrated the applicability of mixed-waste activated carbon to adsorb Cu(II) and Pb(II) from a solution of mixed metals. In addition, the adsorption capacity was found to be as effective as other adsorbents reported in the literature. The developed adsorptive removal procedure was applied for treatment of real wastewater samples and showed high removal efficiency.     

Biosorption of Cd(II) from synthetic wastewater using dry biofilms from biotrickling filters

Biofilms wasted from biotrickling filters was dried and used as biosorbent for Cd(II) removal from aqueous solutions. The adsorption condition and effect, adsorption isotherms and kinetics of Cd(II) removal were investigated, and the effects of competitive metal ions on Cd(II) removal were also examined. Results showed that the dry waste biofilms reached the maximum adsorption capacity of 42 mg/g of Cd(II) at 25 °C for 120 min when the initial concentration of Cd(II) and their pH were 50 mg/L and 6.0, respectively. Under these conditions, the removal efficiency of Cd(II) reached to 89.3% when the biosorbent dosage was 2.0 g/L. The Langmuir isotherm model correlated with the isotherm data better than the Freundlich isotherm model, and the pseudo-second-order model fitted the kinetic data better than the pseudo-first-order model. These results indicated that the adsorption was monolayer accompanied with chemical adsorption. In the presence of other metal ions, divalent metal ions of Ca and Zn inhibited the performance of Cd(II) biosorption significantly, while Na(I), K(I) and Fe(III) which had a higher or lower valence than Ca(II) affected slightly when containing 50 mg/L Cd(II), 0.5 g/L adsorbent dosage and pH 6.0. The analyses of scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy illuminated that the biosorbent had porous structures and the amide group was the majorly responsible for Cd(II) removal. Dry biofilms were novel sorbents for effective removal Cd(II), and it could be reused and recycled if necessary.     

Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics of organophosphorus profenofos pesticide onto Fe/Ni bimetallic nanoparticles

Bimetallic Fe/Ni nanoparticles were synthesized and used for the removal of profenofos organophosphorus pesticide from aqueous solution. These novel bimetallic nanoparticles (Fe/Ni) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of the parameters of initial pesticide concentration, pH of the solution, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and contact time on adsorption was investigated. The adsorbent exhibited high efficiency for profenofos adsorption, and equilibrium was achieved in 8 min. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models were used to determine equilibrium. The Langmuir model showed the best fit with the experimental data (R ² = 0.9988). Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models were tested to determine absorption kinetics. The pseudo-second-order model provided the best correlation with the results (R ² = 0.99936). The changes in the thermodynamic parameters of Gibb’s free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of the adsorption process were also evaluated. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that profenofos adsorption using Fe/Ni nanoparticles is a spontaneous and endothermic process. The value of the activation energy (E _a = 109.57 kJ/mol) confirms the nature of the chemisorption of profenofos onto Fe/Ni adsorbent.     

Lead removal from aqueous solution by basaltic scoria: adsorption equilibrium and kinetics

Pb-contaminated water is a dangerous threat occurring near metallurgic and mining industries. This circumstance produces serious environment concern, due to Pb(II) high toxic effects. Several reactive materials have been reported for Pb(II) adsorption, but not all reached final Pb(II) suitable concentrations, or they are expensive and rejected in massive remediation technologies; hence, natural materials are good options. The adsorption behavior of a volcanic scoria (two sieved fractions 1425 and <425 µm) was studied toward synthetic Pb(II) water solutions in batch experiments (170.4–912.3 mg L^?1) with high removal efficiencies (97%). The Langmuir model fits both fractions with high linear correlation coefficients (0.9988 and 0.9949) with high maximum capacity values (588.23 and 555.55 mg g^?1). Separation factor R _L parameter varies with initial concentration, and the empirical equation predicts the limits of the material usefulness, a criterion proposed in this paper for conditions’ selection. The Lagergren pseudo-second-order analysis demonstrates chemisorption; calculated rate constant (416.66 mg g^?1 min^?1). Weber–Morris intraparticle model proves that the adsorption phenomena occur fast on the material surface (k _inst = 72 g mg^?1 min^?0.5). The characterization of the volcanic material afforded the elemental composition (X-ray fluorescence), and the empirical formula was proposed. X-ray diffraction patterns verify the material structure as basalt, with a plagioclase structure that matches anorthite and albite, mostly composed of quartz. The presence of oxides on the material surface explain the high Pb(II) adsorption capacity, observed on the surface by scanning electronic microscopy. The studied volcanic scoria has potential use as a Pb(II) adsorbent in water remediation technologies.     

Effect of phosphorus on the attenuation of lead and chromium transport in soils

This study analyses the adsorption of Pb(II) and Cr(III) in soils. These metals are commonly found together in nature in urban wastes or industrial spillages, and the theoretical approach of the work was to evaluate the response of the soil to continuous Cr and Pb spillages to soil in terms of several physicochemical parameters. The influence of an anthropogenic input of phosphorus was evaluated. Continuous flow experiments were run in duplicates in acrylic columns (25 cm × 3.2 cm). The influent Cr(III) and Pb(II) solutions of 10 mg l^?1 and 25 mg l^?1 at pH 5 were pumped upward through the bottom of the columns to ensure saturation flow conditions. Also, successive experiments were run with the above concentrations of Cr(III) and Pb(II) and NaH₂PO₄, keeping metal to phosphorus ratio of 1:0, 1:0.1 and 1:1. Modelling parameters included Freundlich and Langmuir equations, together with the Two-site adsorption model using CXTFIT code. Results obtained allowed concluding that Pb(II) adsorption presents a certain degree of irreversibility and the continued spillages over soil increment the fraction which is not easily desorbed. Cr(III) desorption was almost complete, evidencing its high mobility in nature. The presence of an anthropogenic input of phosphorus leads to a marked increase of both Pb(II) and Cr(III) adsorption in soils. Z-potential measurements allow to discard the electrostatic attraction of Cr(III) and Pb(II) with the surface charged soil as the dominant process of metal sorption. Instead, CheaqsPro simulation allows to identify PbH₂PO₄ ⁺, PbHPO₄ (aq) and CrHPO₄ ⁺ as the dominant species which regulate Cr(III) and Pb(II) transport in soils.     

Magnetite nanoplates decorated on anodized aluminum oxide nanofibers as a novel adsorbent for efficient removal of As(III)

In this study, arsenic as an environmental top-ranked hazardous substance was efficiently removed by a novel adsorbent fabricated by magnetite Fe₃O₄ nanoplates decorated on anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanofibers. AAO nanofibers were prepared by anodic polarization method, and then Fe₃O₄ nanoplates were grown on AAO-based substrate by hydrothermal method to fabricate AAO/Fe₃O₄ nanosorbent. Morphology of the fabricated adsorbents was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and their crystallinity was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Arsenic (III) removal potential of the proposed adsorbent from contaminated water samples was investigated by the determination of As(III) amounts in the samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy before and after adsorption process at sub-μg L^?1 levels. The results showed that without pre- and post-treatments such as pH adjustment, As(III) was removed effectively from contaminated water samples by using the proposed adsorbent. AAO/Fe₃O₄ sorbent showed excellent ability to remove 0.1 mg L^?1 As(III) from water samples up to 96 % uptake. Freundlich adsorption isotherm model was used to interpret the As(III) adsorption on proposed sorbent. The Freundlich isotherm parameters n and k _F were obtained to be 2.2 and 10.2, respectively, representing the high affinity of proposed adsorbent for arsenic removal.     

Preparation of magnetic microgels for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and removal of methylene blue from aqueous medium

This work describes the synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) microgels and fabrication of magnetic cobalt nanoparticles in the prepared microgels. Cobalt nanoparticles were fabricated by loading the cobalt (II) ions in microgels from aqueous solution and their subsequent reduction with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). Bare and composite microgels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic properties of the prepared microgel composites were investigated by using them as catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and methylene blue. The effect of temperature and catalyst dose on the rate of reduction of these toxic pollutants was investigated. The reusability of prepared catalysts was also studied for the five consecutive cycles, and an increase in catalytic activity was observed after every cycle. The prepared bare and magnetic microgels were found as very effective adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous medium. Very rapid adsorption rate was found for the removal of methylene as its 100 mg was adsorbed on per gram of dried hydrogels in about 25 min. The effects of different parameters like amount of adsorbate and concentration of adsorbent on the adsorption process were studied. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin adsorption isotherms were applied, and it was found that adsorption of MB follows Freundlich model better than others. Furthermore, pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were also applied and adsorption of MB was found to abide by pseudo-second-order kinetics.