Removal of Inorganic Phosphate from Water Using Biogenic Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles
摘要
As part of sustainable practices, the synthesis of adsorbent materials using biogenic solvents has gained significant attention. Aligned with the green chemistry principle of using safer solvents and auxiliaries, this study focuses on the eco-friendly synthesis of magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (NPs) using Lagerstroemia indica leaf extract for the effective remediation of phosphate (PO43−) ions from aqueous solutions. The plant-mediated reduction of iron-oxide NPs was confirmed through various characterization techniques to determine the elemental composition, structural characteristics (SEM–EDS, XRD) and functional groups (FT-IR). Iron-oxide NPs efficiently removed PO43− from water, achieving ~ 69.1% removal within 60 min at pH 6.0 and 0.01 g L−1 dose. Rapid adsorption occurred within 30 min, with efficiency increasing across doses from 0.01 to 0.06 g L−1. The experimental data showed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.93) with the Freundlich isotherm model suggesting multilayer adsorption on a heterogeneous surface. These findings highlight the potential of L. indica-derived adsorbent for efficient PO₄3−removal from water, indicating their promise for large-scale treatment strategies aimed at achieving sustainable development goal 6. However, further studies are required on NPs regeneration and treatment of complex wastewater matrices.