Magnetic Ironoxide Hydrogel Beads

Magnetic Ironoxide Hydrogel Beads

Water resources are polluted by synthetic compounds such as dyes, heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, and other organic pollutants. These pollutants have been dispersed into the environment by the discharge of wastewater from household use, agricultural activities, or industrial production. In recent years, polymeric adsorbents such as sodium alginate and chitosan have been used increasingly due to their adsorption–regeneration properties, mechanical strength, and economic feasibility.

The adsorption process is one of the most efficient methods for the treatment and removal of contaminants in wastewater.

Polymer-based adsorbent materials have been used for the selective adsorption of gas, metal, and organic pollutants. Alginate is a good candidate to develop organic-inorganic hybrid materials. Magnetic properties imparted alginate beads as adsorbents attract researchers’ attention due to their adsorption efficiency and their magnetic properties.

We focused on metal and organically structured adsorbent material production. The adsorption properties of chitosan and the magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles were combined in a hydrogel bead structure to produce a magnetic environmental-friendly composite material. The adsorption capacity of magnetic iron oxide hydrogel beads is 120 mg/g and can be reused seven times.

• Stable structure for pollutant removal.
• Reusable magnetic beads.
• Selective to cationic contaminants.