• Fast magnetic nanosorbents for simultaneous removal of PAHs and metals • Stable remediation performance across wide pH range (4-9) • High water hardness resistance across wide range of Ca 2 + or Mg 2 + concentration • Low energy use for regeneration of adsorbent and able to reuse multiple times Many industrial wastewaters are contaminated with both heavy metal ions and organic compounds, posing a major threat to public health and the environment. In this study, magnetic nanoparticle adsorbents, namely Mag-PCMA-T, which contain a maghemite core and a silica mesoporous layer that permanently confines surfactant micelles within the mesopores, were synthesized to achieve simultaneous removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (1 mg/L) and metal contaminants (1 mg/L). The individual removal efficiency of Cd 2+ and acenaphthene using Mag-PCMA-T was evaluated under a range of initial ion concentrations and adsorbent dosages, as well as the competitive adsorption with Cd 2+ and acenaphthene simultaneously present. The isotherms and kinetics of Cd 2+ and acenaphthene sorption onto Mag-PCMA-T were determined. Mag-PCMA-T removed N85% of the acenaphthene in b30 min, with relatively high sorption capacity (up to 1060 mg/kg). Mag-PCMA-T also exhibited high sorption capacity for Cd 2+ (up to 2250 mg/kg). The simultaneous sorption performance was stable across a wide pH range (4-9) as well as in the presence of competitive metal ions (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) or natural organic matters. The Mag-PCMA-T can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable, fast, convenient, and efficient approach for water treatment.
b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o© 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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