Magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles from tea waste for arsenic removal

•Used tea has been used to prepare magnetic nanoparticles.•Nanoparticles have particle size of 2-25nm & cuboid/pyramid structure.•Magnetic nanoparticles show high adsorption capacity for arsenic.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MION-Tea) successfully synthesized using tea waste template. MION-Tea exhibit super magnetic properties under external magnetic field with saturation magnetization value of 6.9 emu/g at room temperature. SEM of MION-Tea shows cuboid/pyramid shaped crystals structure of Fe3O4 (magnetite). TEM of MION-Tea shows the particle size in the range of 5–25 nm. XRD pattern of MION-Tea is identical to magnetite. Magnetic nanoparticles are tested for removal of As(III) and As(V) from aqueous solution. The adsorption data obeyed the Langmuir equation with high adsorption capacity of 188.69 mg/g for arsenic (III), and 153.8 mg/g for arsenic (V). The mean sorption energy (E) calculated from D–R model, indicated physico-chemical sorption process. A pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted best for As(III) adsorption on MION-Tea and the derived activation energy was 64.27 kJ/mol. Thermodynamics revealed the endothermic nature of adsorption. The effects of solution pH, interfering anions and initial As(III) concentration have been investigated. MION-Tea was very low cost (Rs. 136 per kg). MION-Tea can be reused up to 5 adsorption cycles and regenerated using NaOH. Cost of As(III) removal from water of was estimated to be Rs. 14 for 100 L. Comparison with reported adsorbents proved MION-Tea a potential adsorbent for As(III) and As(V) adsorption.