Aminated cellulose-GO-Doped manganese ferrite Nanosorbent with Enhanced adsorption properties of Diclofenac: Isotherm, kinetic, and Thermodynamic Study

ABSTRACT

Biomagnifications of emergent contamination with diclofenac in aquatic media exert adverse effects on ecosystems and the environment. Hence, employing an effective remediation route, especially magnetic adsorption, is highly beneficial to eliminating hazardous pharmaceutical wastes. In this research, an efficient magnetic nanoadsorbent derived from aminated manganese ferrite, cellulose, and graphene oxide (GO) has been characterized and employed for diclofenac (DF) removal. Results of EDX analysis showed that aminopropyltriethoxysilane, as an amine source, have been anchored on the magnetic adsorbent surface with high density. Moreover, FESEM and TEM images, as well as the XRD pattern, confirmed that the nanocomposite is a three-component adsorbent. Response surface methodology was adopted to optimize effective parameters for DF adsorption. Solution pH, contact time, adsorbent amount, and concentration of NaNO₃ were four variables that have been optimized. Kinetic and isotherm studies for the adsorption experiments showed that diclofenac adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Moreover, the thermodynamic study indicated that the adsorption process is spontaneous and follows an exothermic path. With a high maximum adsorption capacity of 439.0 mg.g⁻¹ and an adequate removal efficiency of 98.0%, the aminated MnFe₂O₄-cellulose-GO is a suitable candidate to mitigate the side effects of DF in aqueous media.

KEYWORDS:

• Cellulose
• diclofenac
• graphene oxide
• magnetic adsorbent
• response surface method

Research Highlights

• Aminated Cellulose-GO-Doped Manganese Ferrite Nanosorbent was successfully prepared.

• XRD, EDX, FT-IR, VSM, FESEM, and TEM were used to analyze the synthesized Aminated Cellulose-GO-Doped Manganese Ferrite Nanosorbent.

• Diclofenac (DF) elimination was accomplished using prepared Aminated Cellulose-GO-Doped Manganese Ferrite Nanosorbent.

• Response surface methodology was adopted to optimize effective parameters for DF adsorption.

• The Aminated Cellulose-GO-Doped Manganese Ferrite Nanosorbent is a suitable candidate to mitigate the side effects of DF in aqueous media.

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Farzaneh Shemirani, my mentor and advisor at the University of Tehran, for her time, effort, and understanding in helping me succeed in my postgraduate studies. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Amir Vasheghani-Farahani for his professional comments and writing contributions—reviewing and editing the manuscript as well as visualizing, including the final preparation of all graphical contents. I am also grateful to the Faculty of Science at the University of Tehran for providing me with the resources to pursue graduate studies in the Chemistry Department. Finally, I value the love and encouragement of my family for all their unconditional emotional support.

Disclosure statement

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Statement of novelty

For the first time, a unique, efficient magnetic nanoadsorbent derived from aminated manganese ferrite, cellulose, and graphene oxide (GO) has been synthesized and characterized for the removal of diclofenac.

The results of the EDX study demonstrated the high density of the anchoring of aminopropyltriethoxysilane, the amine source, on the magnetic adsorbent surface. Furthermore, the nanocomposite’s three-component nature was validated by FESEM, TEM, and XRD images.

The nanocomposite structure contains polar functional groups such as OH, NH, and COOH that interact with the polar moieties in the DF structure through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic reactions. Additionally, methylene groups gave rise to hydrophobic and π–π interactions, and the benzenoid ring is yet another important factor in the effective interaction of DF with sorbent.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2023.2279948

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.