Removal of fluoride from aqueous solution with the superparamagnetic zirconia material

► Nano-sized superparamagnetic zirconia material (ZrO2/SiO2/Fe3O4, SPMZ) as sorbents ► The monolayer sorption capacity amounts to 14.7 mg/g or 0.78 m mol/g at pH = 4. ► Optimal regeneration is achieved by means of NaOH of 10− 3 N as the regenerant. ► SPMZ can well be separated from the liquid phase by means of high gradient magnetic separation. ► SPMZ possesses the advantages of high mass transfer rates, good selectivity of fluoride, and physicochemical stability.