Multivariate optimization of thiacloprid remediation using multifunctional MCM-41-Pirkle nanoadsorbent

Abstract

In the present approach, we investigated the performance of multifunctional nanomaterial MCM-41-Pirkle in the thiacloprid removal in water samples. In the batch adsorption tests, the effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration, and adsorbent dosage were evaluated using the factorial experimental design model and response surface method. The multifunctional MCM-41-Pirkle exhibited well-ordered hexagonal structure with space-group symmetry (P6mm), high thermal stability, good textural, structural, and morphological properties, as well as, large pore volume and high surface area. The factorial design was suitable to find the optimized conditions using a smaller number of experiments. Moreover, practically all the effects were significant, which indicates the correct choice of the relevant parameters for the thiacloprid remediation. The MCM-41-Pirkle exhibited a high and fast removal efficiency at a low concentration of thiacloprid, with up to 95.20% of thiacloprid removal in the initial 5 min. It is also possible to observe that the MCM-41-Pirkle has excellent thiacloprid removal potential at different pH values, since the removal efficiency was between 95.01–95.82%. In addition, the Pareto graph displayed the following decreasing order of significance for thiacloprid removal by the multifunctional nanomaterial MCM-41-Pirkle: nanoadsorbent mass > thiacloprid standard concentration > solution pH. Finally, a maximum removal efficiency of 95.83% was achieved at an equilibrium time of 5 min with pH 3 using 40 mg of nanoadsorbent at an initial thiacloprid concentration of 4.5 mg L− 1.