Mn-Zn Ferrite Nanoparticles for Removal of Arsenic from Model Wastewater

Abstract

The goal of this research is to synthesize and characterize the different composition of magnetic Zn0.5Mn0.5-xFe2O4 nanoparticles for the removal of toxic pollutants from wastewater. It has been reported that nanoparticles can adsorb pollutants more efficiently from wastewater as compared to other adsorbents due to their small size, high surface area, magnetic properties, high chemical reactivity and selectivity. Nanoparticles can be prepared by different methods e.g., co-precipitation, hydrothermal, sol-gel, solution combustion, and pulse-laser ablation where co-precipitation is more efficient due to its properties like cost effective, , simple methodology, better homogeneity, and rapid operation. Different methods have been used to remove pollutant from water but adsorption method for separation is most popular due to easier methodology, requires lesser volume for process, high efficiency, easiness and characteristic of regeneration and produce lower volume of sludge. Synthesis of Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 and Zn0.5Mn0.4Fe2O4 nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR and XRD used as adsorbent for removal of contaminants from wastewater. In XRD graph, strong peaks at 300, 340, 350, 430, 520, 550, 640 confirm the formation of crystalline cubic spinel ferrite nanoparticles. FTIR spectra of sintered cubic spinel ferrite nanoparticles correlated with peaks 1102 cm-1 and 1454 cm-1 of nanoparticles from literature which confirms the formation without the presence of –OH group on the surface due to sintering. These composition shows large surface area of 22.42 (m2/g) and porosity is 3.8 nm in reported analysis which enables them to show high adsorption and they can easily separate out from solution after adsorption due to their magnetic nature by applying external magnetic field. Zn0.5Mn0.5-xFe2O4 showed high adsorption capacity of MO and can remove 80% of MO from water in 20 min.