Fabrication of reduced glutathione functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic removal of Pb(II) from wastewater

In this study, a novel nanoadsorbent (Fe3O4-SiO2-GSH MNPs) based on iron oxide magnetic nanopartides (Fe3O4 MNPs), coated with SiO2 shells and further modified via reduced glutathione (GSH), was successfully synthesized and applied for Pb(II) removal. Characterization results suggested that the prepared nanoadsorbents were in uniform size and provided numerous adsorption sites for Pb(II), nanoparticles could be convenient separated with the help of external magnet due to their superparamagnetism. Adsorption results showed that the prepared nanoadsorbents exhibited excellent adsorption capacity, even at a large range of Pb(II) concentrations and ionic strength scope. Kinetic of the Pb(II) adsorption was found to follow pseudo-second-order rate equation. Adsorption isotherm data was best fitted to Freundlich model (R-2 = 0.9888-0.9959), and the maximal Pb(II) adsorption capacities were calculated as 298.87, 332.44 and 357.37 mg g(-1), at 298, 303 and 308 K, respectively. Based on the efficient Pb(II) adsorption ability and reusability studies, Fe3O4-SiO2-GSH MNPs were confirmed to be a promising candidate for Pb(II) removal from industrial effluents. (C) 2016 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.