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<p>This study presents the eco-friendly synthesis and application of iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) and a chitosan-based iron oxide nanocomposite (IO-NPs + C) for removing chromium (Cr) ions and nanoplastics (NPs) from contaminated water. Unlike previously reported iron oxide–chitosan systems that are predominantly chemically synthesized and often designed for single-contaminant treatment, the present work introduces a dual-fungal, fully biogenic nanocomposite for the simultaneous remediation of chromium and NPs, further supported by integrated ANN–RSM optimization. For the first time, <i>Aspergillus iranicus</i>, a fungal isolate from the Indian Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, was employed for the green synthesis of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), aligning with sustainable chemistry principles. TEM analyses confirmed their spherical morphology and size range of 4–22&#xa0;nm. The nanocomposite exhibited significantly enhanced adsorption efficiency compared to IO-NPs alone, achieving equilibrium capacities of 195.20&#xa0;mg/g (Cr) and 190.50&#xa0;mg/g (NPs) under optimal conditions (pH 2, 35&#xa0;°C, 100&#xa0;mg/L dosage, 120&#xa0;min contact). Langmuir isotherm fitting suggested monolayer adsorption, with maximum capacities exceeding 500&#xa0;mg/g (Cr) and 250&#xa0;mg/g (NPs). It is important to note that these Langmuir-derived capacities represent model-based theoretical estimates, whereas experimentally measured equilibrium capacities reflect actual adsorption under tested conditions. Process optimization through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) revealed a highly efficient removal (92.68% Cr and 97.89% NPs) at optimized conditions of 99.98&#xa0;mg/L IO-NPs + C, pH 6.51, and 35&#xa0;°C. The combined use of RSM and ANN enabled both statistical interpretation of parameter interactions and robust prediction of non-linear adsorption behaviour. Field validation using groundwater near a Chromite Ore Processing Residue (COPR) site (Cr: 12.68 ± 1.2&#xa0;mg/L, spiked NPs: 20&#xa0;mg/L) showed 93.39% Cr (VI) ions and 92.91% of NPs were removed using 100&#xa0;mg/L of IO-NPs + C at pH 7.6 and 35&#xa0;°C within 120&#xa0;min. The IO-NPs + C outperformed IO-NPs alone, establishing its promise as a sustainable and high-performance solution for simultaneous Cr and NP remediation in wastewater treatment. Overall, this study establishes a fully biogenic, magnetically recoverable, and computationally optimized nanocomposite platform with strong potential for sustainable co-remediation of heavy metals and NPs in complex environmental systems.&#xa0;</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Green-Synthesized Iron Oxide-Chitosan Nanocomposite for Chromium and Nanoplastics Remediation

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月27日

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  • Shouvik Mahanty,
  • Gopala Krishna Darbha,
  • Richard Paul,
  • Ramin Boroujerdi,
  • Eugenia Valsami-Jones,
  • Santanu Majumder

摘要

This study presents the eco-friendly synthesis and application of iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) and a chitosan-based iron oxide nanocomposite (IO-NPs + C) for removing chromium (Cr) ions and nanoplastics (NPs) from contaminated water. Unlike previously reported iron oxide–chitosan systems that are predominantly chemically synthesized and often designed for single-contaminant treatment, the present work introduces a dual-fungal, fully biogenic nanocomposite for the simultaneous remediation of chromium and NPs, further supported by integrated ANN–RSM optimization. For the first time, Aspergillus iranicus, a fungal isolate from the Indian Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, was employed for the green synthesis of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), aligning with sustainable chemistry principles. TEM analyses confirmed their spherical morphology and size range of 4–22 nm. The nanocomposite exhibited significantly enhanced adsorption efficiency compared to IO-NPs alone, achieving equilibrium capacities of 195.20 mg/g (Cr) and 190.50 mg/g (NPs) under optimal conditions (pH 2, 35 °C, 100 mg/L dosage, 120 min contact). Langmuir isotherm fitting suggested monolayer adsorption, with maximum capacities exceeding 500 mg/g (Cr) and 250 mg/g (NPs). It is important to note that these Langmuir-derived capacities represent model-based theoretical estimates, whereas experimentally measured equilibrium capacities reflect actual adsorption under tested conditions. Process optimization through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) revealed a highly efficient removal (92.68% Cr and 97.89% NPs) at optimized conditions of 99.98 mg/L IO-NPs + C, pH 6.51, and 35 °C. The combined use of RSM and ANN enabled both statistical interpretation of parameter interactions and robust prediction of non-linear adsorption behaviour. Field validation using groundwater near a Chromite Ore Processing Residue (COPR) site (Cr: 12.68 ± 1.2 mg/L, spiked NPs: 20 mg/L) showed 93.39% Cr (VI) ions and 92.91% of NPs were removed using 100 mg/L of IO-NPs + C at pH 7.6 and 35 °C within 120 min. The IO-NPs + C outperformed IO-NPs alone, establishing its promise as a sustainable and high-performance solution for simultaneous Cr and NP remediation in wastewater treatment. Overall, this study establishes a fully biogenic, magnetically recoverable, and computationally optimized nanocomposite platform with strong potential for sustainable co-remediation of heavy metals and NPs in complex environmental systems. 

Graphical Abstract