Highly porous chitosan based magnetic polymeric nanocomposite (PNC) for the removal of radioactive, Cs(I) and Sr(II) ions from aqueous solution

Abstract

In the present study highly porous magnetic polymeric schiff base nanocomposite was fabricated using chitosan and 2-hydroxy-5-formylbenzoic acid in the presence of NiFe2O4. The analytical analysis (FTIR, TGA, XRD, BET, SEM, TEM and XPS) results support the successfully fabrication of NiFe2O4, polymeric matrix (PNC) and magnetic polymer nanocomposite (NiFe2O4@PNC). The surface area of NiFe2O4, and NiFe2O4@PNC was found to be 78.12, and 254 m2/g for NiFe2O4, and NiFe2O4@ PNC respectively. The NiFe2O4@PNC used for the adsorption of radioactive metal ions, Cs(I) and Sr(II) and the adsorption capacity was found to 232.12 mg/g and 212.5 mg/g respectively. The interaction between the NiFe2O4@PNC and both the metal ions were determine using adsorption kinetics and adsorptions isotherms models, which support the pseudo-second order and Langmuir adsorption models take part. The regeneration results revealed that the NiFe2O4@PNC retain 94.1 and 92.0 % adsorption capacity after six cycles with Cs(I) and Sr(II). These results demonstrate that the fabricated NiFe2O4@PNC can be used as an advanced and efficient adsorbent for adsorbing toxic inorganic and organic pollutants from contaminated water.