Synergistically active Fe₃O₄ magnetic and EDTA modified cellulose cotton fabric using chemical method and their...

A unique combination of cotton fabric (CF) with a mixture of EDTA and APTES Fe₃O₄ magnetic particles was developed and utilized for the first time as an adsorbent for removing pollutants from wastewater. Initially, Fe₃O₄ was synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Further, the surface of Fe₃O₄ was modified by introducing amino functional groups through a reaction with APTES, resulting in Fe₃O₄-NH₂. Following this, the surface of carbon fiber (CF) was altered using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to create CF@EDTA. Through the use of EDC-HCl and NHS, Fe₃O₄-NH₂ was attached to the surface of CF@EDTA, resulting in the final product CF@EDTA/Fe₃O₄. Subsequently, the prepared CF@EDTA/Fe₃O₄ was utilized to adsorb metal pollutants from wastewater, with a thorough analysis conducted using various characterization techniques including FTIR, SEM, EDX, XRD, VSM, and XPS to study the materials. The study specifically aimed to assess the adsorption performance of our cotton-based material towards As(III) and Cr³⁺ metal ions. The pH study was also performed. Results indicated that the material exhibited an adsorption capacity of approximately 714 mg/g for As(III) ions and 708 mg/g for Cr³⁺ ions. The Langmuir and Freundlich models, as well as pseudo-first and second-order models were also analyzed. The Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models were found to best fit the data. In terms of regeneration and reusability, the materials showed straightforward regeneration and recyclability for up to 15 cycles. The remarkable adsorption capacity, combined with the unique blend of cotton and Fe₃O₄ magnet, along with its recyclability, positions our material CF@EDTA/Fe₃O₄ as a promising contender for wastewater treatment and other significant areas in water research.