Advanced MXene-zinc ferrite nanostructures for effective removal of terephthalic acid from water

In this research, a series of nanocomposites comprises of MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) nanosheets with magnetic zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) were synthesized using a combined sol-gel auto-combustion and hydrothermal approach with named as MZF-1, MZF-2, and MZF-3 and thoroughly characterized. The resulting two-dimensional (2D) structure of multi-layered MXene substrate provides a specific surface area with abundant adsorption sites as compared to pristine ZnFe₂O₄ (ZnF) and MXene (MX), for terephthalic acid (TPA), a plastic pollutant adsorption from wastewater. MZF-3 exhibited removal efficiencies of 97.4%, 82.5%, 76.0%, and 69.4% within 20 min At TPA concentrations of 20, 50, 70, and 100 mgL^-1, respectively. These values correspond to an enhancement of approximately nine-fold compared to pristine ZnF, demonstrating the superior adsorption performance of the MZF-3 nanocomposite. A pH-dependent investigation assessed TPA removal efficiency, correlating it with the nanocomposite's PZC, while free-radical generation under dark conditions further supported the enhanced removal performance observed during the experiments conducted. The formation of intermediate products was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the non-toxicity of the treated solution was evaluated through chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurements before and after treatment. Notably, an approximately 86% reduction in COD confirms extensive mineralization of the degradation products, corroborating the intermediates identified by HPLC. MZF-3 demonstrated excellent recyclability, maintaining catalytic activity and selectivity over repeated cycles. These findings provide valuable insights for wastewater treatment research, supporting progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 and 14.