A core-shell magnetic layered double hydroxide composite material for the effective decolorization of phenol red

The magnetic composite based on layered double hydroxide (Fe 3 O 4 /NiMn-LDH) was prepared by co-precipitation procedure and considered as a material to eliminate phenol red (PR) from aqueous environments. The characterization of Fe 3 O 4 /NiMn-LDH were recognized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Box-Behnken design (BBD) under response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to evaluate the effects of the process variables such as pH, adsorbent dosage, and initial PR concentration (C o ). The results indicated that a good correlation between the estimated and experimental values was found for the PR decolorization efficiency from aqueous media using Fe 3 O 4 /NiMn-LDH ( R 2 = 0.99). Furthermore, the statistical model obtained from BBD was sufficient to estimate the PR decolorization on Fe 3 O 4 /NiMn-LDH ( p < 0.0001). The optimal conditions for the PR decolorization efficiency were determined as 5.38, 24.59 mg, and 25.39 mg/L for pH, adsorbent dosage, and C o , respectively which resulted in 86.93% the PR decolorization efficiency. Finally, this work demonstrated that BBD could easefully be utilized for the optimization of the PR decolorization using Fe 3 O 4 /NiMn-LDH.