Efficient adsorption of basic fuchsin dye using thermally engineered novel smart nanocomposites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Basic fuchsin dye poses significant genotoxic, neurotoxic, and carcinogenic risks.
• Its persistence and toxicity in aquatic environments necessitate effective removal strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel MgO/BaCO3/BaCrO4/C nanocomposites for basic fuchsin adsorption.
• To investigate the effect of calcination temperature on material properties and adsorption performance.

Main Methods:

• Pechini-type sol-gel synthesis followed by calcination at 600°C (MB600) and 800°C (MB800).
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy.
• Adsorption studies to determine capacity and mechanism.

Main Results:

• Crystalline MgO, BaCO3, and BaCrO4 phases were formed in both MB600 and MB800.
• MB600 showed smaller crystallite (60.70 nm) and particle (13.7 nm) sizes compared to MB800.
• MB600 achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 442.48 mg/g, significantly higher than MB800 (375.94 mg/g).

Conclusions:

• The synthesized MgO/BaCO3/BaCrO4/C nanocomposites are effective adsorbents for basic fuchsin.
• MB600, prepared at 600°C, exhibited superior performance due to optimal morphology and surface properties.
• The adsorption process follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm, indicating spontaneous, exothermic physisorption with monolayer coverage.