Magnetically retrievable one-pot fabrication of mesoporous magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) for the remediation of chlorpyrifos and real pesticide wastewater

Abstract

We have explored the possible usability of mesoporous MgFe2O4, obtained by a one-pot upgradable synthesis, towards the treatment of a real pesticide wastewater containing chlorpyrifos (CPF). The porous adsorbent was characterized and was found to exhibit a high surface area of 170 m2/g, not reported earlier. Batch adsorption studies were conducted under changing conditions of contact time, pH, initial concentration of CPF, adsorbent dose and ionic strength. The isotherm studies were examined in the light of different models and the data were found to best follow the Langmuir model (R2> 0.985) exhibiting a high uptake capacity of 4200–4460 mg g−1. Pseudo-second-order kinetics was followed (R2> 0.993) and the values of the different thermodynamic parameters suggest the overall process to be spontaneous and endothermic. The reuse of mesoporous MgFe2O4 was demonstrated in six cycles, without any obvious decrease in the removal efficiency. The characterization studies of MgFe2O4 post CPF-adsorption, along with the density functional theory (DFT) findings, give a deeper understanding of the complexation of the pesticide over the adsorbent surface. This study mirrors the possibility of employing mesoporous MgFe2O4 for the practical application in the treatment of pesticide wastewaters.