Efficient device for the benign removal of organic pollutants from aqueous solutions using modified mesoporous magnetite nanostructures

In this study, a home-made device comprising a column filled with magnetic mesoporous silica-coated nano structures (MSCM-PA) as an adsorbent was constructed and used to remove organic pollutants from aqueous solutions. The MSCM-PA adsorbent was prepared and characterized using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction techniques. The adsorption behavior of the MSCM-PA sorbent was studied based on the removal of Everzol blue dye from aqueous solutions. We investigated the effects of various parameters such as the solution pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dose, flow rate, and contact time on the adsorption of Everzol blue from aqueous solutions. The adsorption data were modeled using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and a good fit was obtained with the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum Everzol blue adsorption capacity by MSCM-PA was 162 mg g(-1). The results indicate that our device is capable of adsorbing anionic dyes from aqueous solutions.