Electrospun membranes with magnetite NPS for potential use of heavy metals ion adsorption

Abstract

Water contamination by heavy metal ions is a current problem that affects human health and occurs mainly due to anthropogenic activities. One of the main mechanisms for water decontamination is the use of magnetic adsorbent materials, because it is a method of easy implementation, low cost and easy recovery, with the use of an external magnetic field. In this study, an electrospun polymeric membrane of PVDF-PS with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles was successfully fabricated. The morphological characterization of the membrane with SEM showed that the fibers reach a diameter of around 2.5 µm, increasing the contact surface area for the adsorption of heavy metal ions. The magnetic nature of the electrospun membrane is calculated with a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), which shows that the material is superparamagnetic in nature due to the incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles. These characteristics of adsorbent materials are relevant for potential use in heavy metal adsorption processes.