Nuclear chemistry

Catalysis

Adsorption

Engineering

Nanoparticle

Materials science

Iron oxide

Nanocomposite

Inorganic chemistry

Chemical engineering

Physical chemistry

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Zeolite

Aqueous solution

Iron oxide nanoparticles

Chemistry

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Clinoptilolite

Magnetic nanoparticles

Journal of Molecular Liquids

In the present study, Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite was synthesized in the laboratory as a magnetic nanosorbent; mentioned nanocomposite and Clinoptilolite were employed as adsorbent for adsorption of tetracycline (TC) from aqueous solution. Structure and properties of Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite and Clinoptilolite adsorbents were detected by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) for Clinoptilolite adsorbent was 20.17 mg/g, while it was 180.9 mg/g for Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite. Under optimal conditions, the removal efficiency of tetracycline by Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite was 98.6%, and the highest removal efficiency was obtained at pH values of 7 and 8, which could be due to physical adsorption mechanisms such as van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds between TC polar molecules and functional groups on Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite. The results of nanocomposite reuse study showed that Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite adsorbent can be reused without significant reduction in efficiency, which economically and environmentally justifies the use of Fe3O4/Clinoptilolite nanocomposite to remove various contaminants.

Evaluation of tetracycline removal by adsorption method using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and clinoptilolite from aqueous solutions