Removal of Moxifloxacin from Aqueous Solutions Using GO/Cr-MOFs

The composite material, consisting of graphene oxide (GO) and chromium metal-organic frameworks (Cr-MOFs), was successfully synthesized by using a solvothermal method. The organic ligand employed was 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid, while chromium acetate served as the source of the metal. The resulting material underwent characterization through Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. Subsequently, the adsorption capacity of the composite material toward moxifloxacin was evaluated. The results indicated a gradual increase in the moxifloxacin removal rate from GO/Cr-MOFs over time until reaching an equilibrium with a maximum removal rate of 90.4%. Additionally, it was observed that higher temperatures led to a decrease in the adsorption capacity. By incorporating 30 mg of GO/Cr-MOFs into a solution containing 40 ppm of moxifloxacin, the adsorption capacity could be maximized at 222.25 mg/g. Experimental data on MOF adsorption of moxifloxacin were analyzed using pseudo-first-order kinetics (PFO), pseudo-second-order kinetics (PSO), and Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models for theoretical research purposes. Results showed that the PSO model exhibited a better correlation than the PFO model did. Furthermore, experimental data demonstrated good agreement with the Freundlich isothermal model, suggesting its effectiveness in accurately describing the adsorption process. Henceforth, it can be concluded that chemisorption plays a significant role in removing moxifloxacin by GO/Cr-MOFs. The van't Hoff equation analysis revealed an exothermic and spontaneous nature of moxifloxacin adsorption onto GO/Cr-MOFs. Compared to other materials, the GO/Cr-MOF composite exhibited high potential for applications such as drug removal or related fields.