Removal of Pb(II) Ion by Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared by Annealing at Two Different Temperature

Abstract

Transition metal ions have been extensively studied for the removal of heavy metal ions as efficient adsorbent from aqueous solution. In this work, Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition route of FeSO4.4H2O at the presence of urea (1:1 molar ratio) at two different temperatures (500 °C and 600 °C) and characterized by XRD and TEM. The XRD result show that single-phase of α-Fe2O3 was prepared by increasing of calcination temperature from 500 °C to 600 °C. TEM images confirmed that the as-prepared products have a different shapes and that particle sizes are in the range of tens nanometers. The average crystallite size of pure α-Fe2O3 calculated from XRD pattern was 53.1 nm and 41 nm, respectively, depending on the method employed. In addition, Pb(II) adsorption has been studied and considered as a function of pH solution, contact time, initial Pb(II) concentration and also adsorbent dosage. The adsorption results show that the iron oxides were able to high percentage remove Pb(II) by increasing of contact time, adsorbent dosage and initial Pb(II) ion. The pH solution of 6 proved to be the most suitable for the removal of Pb(II).