Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes for toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene removal from aqueous solution

Fei Yu; Jie Ma; Juan Wang; Mingzheng Zhang; Jie Zheng

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.018

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes for toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene removal from aqueous solution

Chemosphere. 2016 Mar:146:162-72. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.018. Epub 2015 Dec 20.

Authors

Fei Yu¹, Jie Ma², Juan Wang³, Mingzheng Zhang⁴, Jie Zheng⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, 100 Hai Quan Road, Shanghai 201418, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
² School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, 100 Hai Quan Road, Shanghai 201418, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: jma@tongji.edu.cn.
³ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, 100 Hai Quan Road, Shanghai 201418, China.
⁴ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA. Electronic address: zhengj@uakron.edu.

PMID: 26714299
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.018

Abstract

An effectively and functionally magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) nano-composite (APCNT-KOH) was synthesized by a one-pot and facile method. The residual Fe catalyst particles of the as-prepared MWCNTs were utilized as magnetic materials through KOH activation. The resulting APCNT-KOH exhibited very high adsorption capacities for toluene (T), ethylbenzene (E), and xylene (X) (TEX) pollutants than many other adsorbents, because of their large specific surface area and high degree of surface activity. The adsorption process was found to be pH, ionic strength, and temperature dependent, and the maximum adsorption capacity was observed at pH 6 for TEX pollutants. The adsorption isotherm data were analyzed by applying the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isothermal models. The Langmuir model showed the best fit to the experimental isotherm data with a maximum adsorption capacity(qm,toluene = 63.34 mg/g, qm, ethylbenzene = 249.44 mg/g, qm,m-xylene = 227.05 mg/g, qm,o-xylene = 138.04 mg/g, qm,p-xylene = 105.59 mg/g). Adsorption kinetics of TEX on APCNT-KOH was appropriately described by the pseudo-second-order rate model. The desorption experiments revealed the typical adsorption-desorption hysteresis, indicating that the adsorption and desorption processes of TEX undergo different pathways due to porous structure changes before and after adsorption and desorption. Collective results demonstrate that the functionalized magnetic APCNT-KOH composites are highly-effective adsorbents for TEX removal, which provides a promising and green route for MWCNTs in wastewater treatment.

Keywords: Adsorption; Desorption; Ionic strength; Magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes; pH.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Benzene Derivatives / chemistry
Ferrosoferric Oxide / chemistry*
Magnetics
Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
Toluene / chemistry
Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*
Xylenes / chemistry

Substances

Benzene Derivatives
Nanotubes, Carbon
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Xylenes
Toluene
ethylbenzene
Ferrosoferric Oxide