Fabrication of a novel magnetic nanocomposite to remove Cu (II) ions from contaminated water

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

One of the recent methods for removing contaminants from water is using magnetic chitosan nanocomposites. New nanocomposite film of chitosan/10% N-nicotinyl-N′, N″-bis (pyrrolidinyl) phosphoric triamide/5% Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared. The Fe₃O₄ NPs were synthesized as core–shell NPs with starch as a capping agent. The N-nicotinyl phosphoramide compound was synthesized from the reaction of pyrrolidine with N-nicotinyl phosphoramidic dichloride. The fabricated framework was characterized by using the XRD, EDX, SEM, and FT-IR methods and was used to remove Cu (II) ions from contaminated water in different user pH conditions. The FT-IR result of N- Nicotinyl-N', N''-bis (pyrrolidinyl) phosphoric triamide showed all characteristic peaks of desired phosphoramide which were in good agreement with the previously reported ones⁷. SEM and EDX of nanocomposite obviously indicated that the phosphoramide and the Fe₃O₄ NPs were supported directly on chitosan framework. Comparing the XRD patterns of the magnetic nanocomposite, phosphoramide and chitosan confirmed the presence of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and phosphoramide compound in the nanocomposite framework and also showed that the mixing process did not make any phase change of the components. Results obtained from atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) showed that the optimal removal of copper (II) ions from 100 ppm copper nitrate (II) aqueous solution occurred when pH = 9. In this situation, the amount of removed copper (II) ions is 89.44%.

KEYWORDS:

• Nanocomposite
• chitosan
• N-nicotinyl phosphoramide
• magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles
• removal of Cu (II)