Fabrication of monoBODIPY-functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B under UV irradiation and the detection and removal of Cu(II) ions in aqueous solutions

Abstract

In this study, the potential of magnetic fluorescence hybrid nanoparticle (Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2-APTMS-monoBODIPY) for simultaneous detection and removal of inorganic contaminant Cu(II) ions and photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminant Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in aqueous solutions under UV light was investigated. Samples were synthesized at each stage, and the magnetic fluorescence hybrid nanoparticle was characterized by SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD. When Cu(II) ions were added to the Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2-APTMS-monoBODIPY suspension mixture, the fluorescence intensity at ~ 543 nm decreased. In addition, the addition of Cu(II) ions in the presence of different cation species caused dramatic fluorescent quenching that was very selective for Cu(II) ions. The detection limit values of Cu(II) ions using the Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2-APTMS-monoBODIPY is 0.47 µM. The prepared magnetic fluorescent hybrid nanoparticle was used for Cu(II) adsorption from aqueous solutions. Four different adsorption isotherms were calculated, and it was found that the Langmuir isotherm fit better, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 50.505 mg/g. Kinetic research followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and the adsorption of Cu(II) ions turned out to be endothermic, favorable, and spontaneous. RhB dyes in the suspension mixture were adsorbed on magnetic fluorescent hybrid nanomaterial in the dark with stirring for 30 min. Then after 60 min of mixing under UV light, they showed an RhB degradation percentage of 29.49%.