Tailored hybrid Ce-Zr-La hydrous oxide material: Preparation, characterization and application towards removal of fluoride and copper(II) from their contaminated water

Abstract

We report herein the tailored preparation and characterization insight of hybrid CeIV-ZrIV-LaIII hydrous oxide (CZL) and application as a solid-phase extractor towards F− and Cu(II) to reduce water contamination levels. Obviously, characterization of the as-prepared sample was done using electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Föurier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, BET surface analyzer, powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD), and Zeta meter and reported. The BET analysis indicates very high surface area 219.971 m2 g−1 and pore volume 0.1374 cm3 g−1 of CZL, the value get decreased after adsorbing the Cu(II) and F−, this indicates interior surface involved on the adsorption process. Transfer of F− and/Cu(II) from aqueous phases over the CZL surfaces was investigated at optimized pH adopting batch procedure. The parameters investigated are the effects of concentration, reaction time and co-existing ions. Kinetically seen distribution of both F− and Cu(II) agree best with the pseudo-second-order model. Fitness of the equilibrium data with isotherm models has confirmed almost monolayer surface coverage; and computed ΔH0, ΔS0, and ΔG0 have suggested the spontaneous nature of the reactions. The order of percentage of F− transfer declines in presence of ions occurring in water as HCO3− > PO43− > SO42− > NO3− > Cl−. The exhausted CZL material is regenerated using NaOH (pH 12) solution. At optimal circumstances, the CZL shows Langmuir monolayer capacity of 213.99 mg g−1 and 61.52 mg g−1 respectively, for F− and Cu(II), which are greater than previously reported some materials. Overall, the CZL is an efficient material for extracting F− and Cu(II) from their aqueous phases.