Removal of Lead(II), Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Magnetic Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites

Abstract

In this work, a batch adsorption study was conducted to investigate the removal efficiency of lead, copper and zinc ions from aqueous solutions.Magnetic amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles were synthesized by grafting amine groups within the channels of magnetic mesoporous silica nanocomposites.Morphological and structural characterizations were made by X-ray powder diffraction, N 2 adsorption-desorption, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis.Among different factors influencing the sorption process, solution pH, shaking time and mass of adsorbent were investigated.The removal efficiencies were higher than 98% under optimized experimental conditions.Maximum adsorption capacities calculated by the Langmuir model were 268, 93 and 82 mg g -1 , for lead(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) ions, respectively.Accuracy and applicability of the synthesized adsorbent was estimated by analyzing spiked natural water samples and good recoveries (> 95%) were obtained with no matrix interferences.