Hexavalent chromium scavenging performances of one-pot synthesized hydrous cerium-copper-mixed oxide from contaminated water with plausible mechanism

ABSTRACT

Prolonged use of the chromate [Cr(VI)]-contaminated water originates severe health problems for the public. Thus, the societal urgency is a reusable and cost-effective material for efficient scavenging of Cr(VI) from contaminated industrial wastewater. Aiming this, we had targeted to prepare some cheap and effective materials for scavenging Cr(VI) from the contaminated water. Herein, we report the preparation of hydrous cerium-copper oxide (HCCO) with some tailored compositions and employed toward the abstraction of chromate from water solution. The HCCO (Ce: Cu = 1:4, mole/mole) has shown the highest Cr(VI) scavenging capacity. Experimentally, highest Cr(VI) abstraction efficiency is recorded at pH ~ 3.0 (508.853 mg. g⁻¹ at 303 K). Kinetically, the Cr(VI) scavenging reaction with HCCO surfaces agrees better with the pseudo second-order model (R² = 0.987) equation and the equilibrium Cr(VI) distribution data explain the Freundlich isotherm model (R² = 0.998) equation, which anticipates the multi-layered adsorption on heterogeneous sites of the adsorbent. A negative value of the Gibbs free energy change indicates that the Cr(VI) adsorption over HCCO surfaces is spontaneous. The positive enthalpy change indicates the endothermic nature of the said reaction.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

HIGHLIGHTS

One-pot synthesis of hydrous Ce(IV)-Cu(II) oxide (HCCO) and characterizations.

Systematic Cr(VI) scavenging from modeled ground water with HCCO.

Best fit pseudo-second-order kinetic model, implying the chemisorption mechanism.

Very high amount of Cr(VI) scavenging at ambient condition reported to be 508.85 mg.g−1.

Coulombic interaction between HCCO and Cr(VI) is responsible for scavenging Cr(VI).

KEYWORDS:

• Adsorption
• cerium/copper oxide
• Cr(VI) adsorption
• Freundlich isotherm
• pseudo-second-order kinetics
• heavy metals

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Department of Chemistry as well as the Authority of Presidency University, Kolkata, India, for providing laboratory facilities for this study. We are also thankful to Dr. Anjoy Majhi for extending his lab facility for us. A.G. is thankful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), Govt. of India, for funding the research through the Senior Research Fellowships. P.S. is thankful to Presidency University, Kolkata, for the financial support under the FRPDF grant PU/2012-till-date. MDP acknowledges the institute of Eminence (IoE) Banaras Hindu University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data used to support the results of the present investigation are involved in the article.

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Ayan Ghosh, Sarat Kanrar, Ankur Srivastava and Mrituanjay D. Pandey are contributed on Experimental design, Conceptualization, Data curation, Visualization validation, Resources, Uday Chand Ghosh and Palani Sasikumar are contributed Experimental design, Conceptualization, Data curation, Visualization validation, Resources, Supervision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript submitted.

Consent for publication

All the authors agree for the publication, and the present manuscript does not contain data from any person solely.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2024.2372418.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Faculty Research and Professional Development Fund (FRPDF) grant by Presidency University, Kolkata, India.