Fe(III) and Zr(IV) intercalated titanate nanotubes: A singular solution for efficient remediation of five toxic heavy metal ions from water

Industrial wastewater is a major source of toxic contaminants, including hazardous heavy metal ions (HMIs). In this research, Fe(III) and Zr(IV) Intercalated Titanate Nanotubes (FeZr-TNT), a novel material, was engineered to adsorb both cationic and anionic HMIs individually, as well as simultaneously when multiple ions are present in water. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the material is applicable across a broad pH range (pH 2 to 8), with high efficiency and rapid kinetics, making FeZr-TNT particularly suitable for treating groundwater and industrial wastewater. FeZr-TNT exhibited high adsorption capacities (Q_max) for various HMIs: 69 mg/g for Cr(VI), 99.5 mg/g for Pb(II), 166.8 mg/g for As(III), 222.2 mg/g for As(V), and an exceptional 4125.7 mg/g for Hg(II). Notably, it exhibited an unprecedented efficiency for Hg(II), surpassing previously reported values of Q_max for Hg(II) highlighting its exceptional performance. Material characterization of pristine and HMI adsorbed FeZr-TNTs provided insights into its unique structural properties, likely contributing to its high adsorption for multiple HMIs. These properties including the abundance of surface hydroxyl groups, suggest that FeZr-TNT offers highly effective active sites for capturing diverse contaminants, underscoring its potential as an advanced adsorbent for environmental remediation.