MnFe2O4 nano spinels as potential sorbent for adsorption of chromium from industrial wastewater

In this study, nanospinels of MnFe2O4 were synthesized by a rapid method of microwave-assisted combustion technique for the removal of total chromium from real industrial wastewater. Nanoparticles of MnFe2O4 were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The removal of total chromium from real industrial wastewater, which was taken from galvanotechnic industry, using of nanospinel MnFe2O4 was investigated. The effects of adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial concentrations on total chromium removal from wastewater were studied using the real wastewater. Optimal conditions were found for total chromium removal. Chromium removal and adsorption capacity of MnFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were achieved as 59.35% and 89.18 mg/g, respectively. In addition, other optimum conditions of adsorbent dosage and contact time were found as 1.5 g/L and 120 min in this study, respectively. The removal of total chromium using MnFe2O4 NPs was fitted with Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The results indicated that MnFe2O4 nanospinels are suitable adsorbents for the removal of total chromium from industrial wastewater.