Eco-friendly Magnetic Biopolymer Nanocomposites for Removal of Organic Dye/Heavy Metals from Waste Water

Abstract

Chitosan is studied as a natural polysaccharide which has a remarkable unique combination of chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Chitosan, an amino polysaccharide obtained from deacetylation of chitin, is a natural polymer that has a plethora of applications in various fields including water purification, drug designing, cosmetics, food and packaging etc. Being a natural polymer it has less residual impact on the environment, and hence serves as a potential alternative to the chemically hazardous precursors. The present work focusses on deploying the useful chemical properties of chitosan to design a solution for removal of organic dye such as methylene blue and heavy metals from industrial waste water. In order to achieve this, a composite system consisting of chitosan, magnetic ferrite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and graphene oxide was synthesized to obtain the synergistic combination of the desired properties. The ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by alkalisation of Fe+2 and Fe+3 species using co-precipitation method in the presence of a suitable surfactant. The CFG (chitosan/Fe3O4 nanoparticles/graphene oxide) nanocomposite was synthesized through a facile chemical route. The characterization of the synthesized composite was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and microstructural analysis. Adsorption ability of CFG nanocomposite for methylene blue, potassium dichromate and cobaltous chloride was evaluated by using UV-Visible spectroscopy studies.