Removal of As(V) from aqueous solution using modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Arsenic contamination poses a significant threat to global water resources.
• Developing efficient and selective adsorbents is crucial for arsenic removal.
• Magnetic nanoparticles offer potential for water treatment applications due to their recoverability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize surfactant-modified magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@surfactants) for arsenic removal.
• To evaluate the As(V) adsorption performance of these novel composite materials.
• To investigate the adsorption mechanism and reusability of the developed adsorbents.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles with anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic surfactants.
• Characterization of synthesized Fe3O4@surfactants using XRD, TEM, and FTIR.
• Adsorption batch experiments to assess As(V) removal efficiency, kinetics, and isotherms.

Main Results:

• Fe3O4@surfactants composite magnetic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized.
• Adsorption equilibrium was reached within 30 minutes, following pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models.
• Fe3O4@CTAB exhibited the highest As(V) adsorption capacity (55.671 mg g-1) and retained 93.5% efficiency after five cycles.

Conclusions:

• Surfactant-modified Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles are effective adsorbents for As(V) removal from aqueous solutions.
• Fe3O4@CTAB demonstrates superior performance, highlighting the role of surfactant type in adsorption.
• The adsorption mechanism involves complexation via electrostatic attraction, with potential for sustainable water remediation.