Facile, Fast, and Green Synthesis of CoFe₂O₄@CMC/Cysteine as a Novel Magnetic Nanobiocomposite Adsorbent for Tetracycline Removal from Aqueous Media
摘要
A highly efficient, magnetically separable nano-adsorbent, CoFe2O4@Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/Cysteine (Cys), was developed using a rapid microwave-assisted coprecipitation method. CMC acted as a cross-linking agent and was modified with functional groups from cysteine to enhance adsorption performance for pharmaceutical removal. The magnetic nano-adsorbent was characterized using various techniques, including Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Line Scan, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy—Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS), Mapping, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Powder EDS and XRD confirmed the spinel ferrite phase and its structure, while FESEM and TEM showed spherical particles with minimal agglomeration. VSM analysis indicated the ferromagnetic properties of CoFe2O4@CMC/Cys with an Ms value of 41.36 emu.g−1, allowing easy and rapid separation for regeneration. Regarding the effectiveness of CoFe2O4@CMC/Cys for Tetracycline (TC) adsorption, the highest efficiency was recorded at an initial TC concentration of 40 mg/L, with a contact time of 20 min, a pH of 5, a nanocomposite dosage of 0.07 g, and at 23 °C. Data obtained from the Langmuir equilibrium isotherm (R2 = 0.99) demonstrated that TC removal using the produced magnetic nanocomposite followed the Langmuir adsorption pattern. Moreover, kinetic analysis identified a pseudo-second-order model for TC elimination (R2 = 0.99). The entropy change (ΔS = − 106.5 J.mol−1 K−1), negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG), and enthalpy change (ΔH = − 36.52 kJ.mol−1) all indicated that the adsorption process was exothermic. The CoFe2O4@CMC/Cys nanoadsorbent demonstrated high efficiency in TC removal, with only a slight decline in performance after five cycles. Its rapid recoverability and sustained performance make it an effective and sustainable solution for water and wastewater treatment.