Fabrication of a novel NiFe2O4/Zn-Al layered double hydroxide intercalated with EDTA composite and its adsorption behavior for Cr(VI) from aqueous solution

A novel magnetic NiFe2O4/Zn-Al layered double hydroxide intercalated with EDTA composite (NiFe2O4/ZnAl-EDTA LDH) was prepared through modified coprecipitation method and employed for adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The adsorbents were characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Factors affecting the Cr(VI) adsorption, such as initial solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial Cr(VI) concentration, temperature and coexisting ions, were studied systematically. Experiments results show that the magnetic NiFe2O4/ZnAl-EDTA LDH exhibits high adsorption efficiency within a wide pH range of 3.0-7.0 (R>80% at Cr(VI) concentration 50 mg L−1, contact time 360 min, and adsorbent dosage 2 g/L) and quick separation property. The adsorption process is fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum theoretical adsorption capacity is found to be 77.22 mg g−1 at pH 6.0 and 318 K. The positive ΔH value (2.907 kJ mol−1) and negative ΔG value (−4.722 kJ mol−1) at 298-318 K reveals that the adsorption process is feasible, spontaneous and endothermic. Coexisting anions (PO43-, SO42−, CO32−, HCO3−, Cl−, and NO3−) have no significant effect on Cr(VI) removal. The mechanism study indicates that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto NiFe2O4/ZnAl-EDTA LDH mainly involves electrostatic attraction and ion exchange interaction. It is interesting to note that a proportion of Cr(VI) adsorbed on the adsorbent surface are reduced to Cr(III) during the adsorption process. Results from this study demonstrate the potential utility of the magnetic NiFe2O4/ZnAl-EDTA LDH that could be developed into a viable technology for efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.