Simultaneous adsorption of heavy metals on mesoporous reduced graphene oxide/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposites

In this study, the nanocomposite of gamma-Fe2O3 and reduced-graphene oxide (RGO) with 10% wt RGO was synthesized via the combination of the modified Hummers and co-precipitation methods. The structural properties of the gamma-GFO powder and tablet were characterized through X-ray diffraction analysis, field-scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. After undergoing heat treatment at 120 degrees C, the tablet exhibited a nanoporous structure with an S-BET of 94.5 m(2)/g, which was slightly higher than the S-BET of the powder sample. Batch and fixed-bed column studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of gamma-GFO in the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. Results showed that the RGO/gamma-Fe2O3 (gamma-GFO) tablet showed an individual adsorption efficiency of 99.7% for As (V) after 45 min and good simultaneous adsorption capacity for the five heavy metals As, Pb, Cr, Fe, and Mn. These results suggested that gamma-GFO is very promising for applications in adsorbing heavy metals in borehole water filters.

Automated summary

In this study, a nanocomposite of gamma-Fe2O3 and reduced-graphene oxide (RGO) was successfully synthesized and characterized. The results showed that the nanocomposite exhibited excellent adsorption performance and high removal efficiency for heavy metals, indicating its potential application in borehole water filters.