Room temperature synthesized PVA/GO/ZIF-67 ternary nanocomposite as a high-performance multifunctional adsorbent for malachite green and tetracycline removal
摘要
The development of efficient and recyclable adsorbents for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater remains an important environmental challenge. In this study, a novel ternary nanocomposite consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), graphene oxide (GO), and zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) was synthesized at room temperature and evaluated as an adsorbent for water purification. The nanocomposite (PVA/GO/ZIF-67) design combines the structural stability and hydrophilicity of PVA, the high surface area and oxygen-containing functional groups of GO, and the porous ZIF-67, resulting in enhanced adsorption performance. Structural and morphological characterization confirmed the incorporation and homogeneous distribution of all components within the composite matrix. The adsorption behavior of the PVA/GO/ZIF-67 was investigated using malachite green (MG) as a model dye pollutant. Under experimental conditions (adsorbent dosage of 0.004 g, initial MG concentration of 20 mg/L, natural pH (6), and 120 min contact time), the composite achieved 97% dye removal with a maximum adsorption capacity of 981 mg/g. Adsorption equilibrium was best described by the Langmuir isotherm model, while the kinetic data followed a pseudo-second-order model. The composite also exhibited good reusability, retaining 90% of its initial removal efficiency after three adsorption cycles. To assess its broader applicability, the nanocomposite adsorption performance was further evaluated toward tetracycline, a representative pharmaceutical contaminant. A removal efficiency of 70% was achieved, demonstrating the ability of the material to effectively remove structurally different pollutants. The combination of high adsorption capacity, satisfactory reusability, and broad-spectrum pollutant removal highlights the potential of the PVA/GO/ZIF-67 nanocomposite as a promising adsorbent for advanced wastewater treatment applications.