One-pot synthesis of zinc ferrite nanocomposite for ultrafast adsorption of Drimarene blue dye

Abstract

Industrialization has not only eased human lives but also posed many problems in the modern world. About 93% of the intake water in textile industries becomes wastewater that needs to be treated to cut down the reliance on freshwater sources. In the present research, bottom-up approach was implemented to synthesize zinc ferrite nanocomposites (ZFNCs) at room temperature. The characterization was performed by FTIR, SEM, EDS, and pH_PZC. The synthesized ZFNCs served as an effective adsorbent to remove textile-colored pollutant Drimarene blue (DB) dye from the aqueous medium. The adsorptive dye removal process was aided by ultrasonic irradiation. Optimization of the adsorption process was carried out using the classical optimization method by optimizing parameters including the dosage of adsorbent, the concentration of dye, ultrasonic irradiation time, pH, and temperature. The % removal of DB by the synthesized nanocomposites under the optimized conditions was 87.67% with an adsorption capacity of 65.75 mg/g. Investigation pertaining to the adsorbate/adsorbent association was carried out by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Harkins–Jura models and the experimental results verified Harkins–Jura model as the best fit model. In the studies pertaining to the sorption kinetics, the pseudo-second-order model was the most appropriate model among various kinetic models. Thermodynamics assessment validated the spontaneity of the adsorption phenomenon. The process was not only thermodynamically feasible but also economical as the cost of operation was only 1.2358 USD/m³. Hence, the present investigation offers ecofriendly and affordable system for eliminating unwanted substances from polluted waterbodies.

Graphical abstract