A comprehensive study of As(V) removal by starch-coated magnetite nano-adsorbent based on waste iron sludge

Combining natural polymer starch with magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) can reduce the aggregation of MNPs and enhance their adsorption capacity and stability. Iron sludge from a de‑ironing water plant and starch were employed as basic ingredients in this study. Bare magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) and starch-coated magnetite nanocomposites (ST2-MNPs) were synthesized by a “green” co-precipitation method for the removal of low-concentration As(V) solutions. TEM, XPS, FTIR, XRD, VSM, BET, and TGA techniques were used to examine the physicochemical properties of the synthesized ST2-MNPs. TEM verified that the magnetite nanoparticles in the composites were evenly distributed. The ST2-MNPs (5.26 nm) possessed a smaller average particle size than MNPs (6.24 nm). And VSM confirmed their remarkable magnetic properties. The starch-to‑iron-sludge ratio was optimized and the influence of adsorbent dosage, pH, and co-existing anions on As(V) adsorption were studied. The acquired arsenate adsorption data were found to be consistent with the Langmuir isotherm model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 23.04 mg/g for MNPs and 42.88 mg/g for ST2-MNPs. This shows that the active sites on MNPs and ST2-MNPs are energetically homogenous, and that the addition of starch coating significantly increases magnetite's adsorption capacity for As(V). The adsorption kinetics follow a Pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating chemisorption between As(V) and ST2-MNPs. In addition, the adsorption mechanism of As(V) by ST2-MNPs including chemical adsorption and electrostatic attraction was determined through in-depth discussion of characterization methods and adsorption experiments. This study offers references for the removal of As(V) and the resourceful application of backwash iron sludge.