The
efficiency of adsorption of two photosensitive fluoroquinolones;
Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and Moxifloxacin (MOX), on the surface of synthesized
magnetite/pectin nanoparticles (MPNPs) and magnetite/silica/pectin
nanoparticles (MSPNPs) was studied from aqueous solution under varying
experimental conditions. A validated spectrofluorimetric assay was
developed for monitoring of CIP and MOX intact drugs and their photodegraded
molecules concentrations. To optimize the working conditions which
influence the drugs sorption, a 24 full factorial experimental
design was implemented. The maximum percentage of removal was attained
as 89% (type of sorbent = MSPNPs, pH = 7.0, initial drug concentration
= 5 mg/L, and contact time = 30 min). The studied factorspH,
NPs loading, initial drug concentration, and contact timewere
significant for both types of sorbents. The most significant variable
was pH, and the highest CIP and MOX adsorption occurred at pH = 7.0.
Equilibrium isotherm data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, and
Sips equations, and the Sips model showed the best fit with equilibrium
isotherm data. Furthermore, pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order
kinetic models were used to analyze sorption kinetics, and it was
found that adsorption of the investigated fluoroquinolones followed
pseudo-second-order kinetics. We believe that our synthesized NPs
can be used as effective adsorbents for fluoroquinolones and their
photodegraded molecules removal from aqueous solutions.