High performance microwave-enforced solid phase extraction of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles-protected-nanosilica

Abstract

Abstract A novel technique is presented to explore and investigate the solid phase extraction of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using a microwave-enforced sorption heating system. A microwave-assisted surface protected and coated nano-magnetic iron oxide with nano-silica layer [Nano-Fe 3 O 4 @Nano-SiO 2 ] was used as the sorbent. The metal sorption characteristics of Nano-Fe 3 O 4 @Nano-SiO 2 toward Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) were evaluated and the sorption capacity values were found as 1100, 300, 150 and 100 μmol g −1 , respectively upon microwave heating for 5.0 s. These values were slightly changed to 1150, 500, 400 and 100 upon heating to 20.0 s, respectively.