CeO2 nanoparticles supported on CuFe2O4 nanofibers as novel adsorbent for removal of Pb(II), Ni(II), and V(V) ions from petrochemical wastewater

AbstractIn the present work, the CeO2/CuFe2O4 nanofibers with the structure of CuFe2O4 as the core and CeO2 nanoparticles as the outer layer were prepared. This novel nanostructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sizes of CeO2/CuFe2O4 nanofibers determined from the SEM images were 100 nm. The obtained nanocomposite was used to investigate adsorption of Pb(II), Ni(II), and V(V) ions from aqueous solutions. Contact time, pH, initial metal concentration, and temperature were optimized to improve the removal efficiency. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetic data were modeled with classical and recently developed models. Maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II), Ni(II), and V(V) on CeO2/CuFe2O4 nanofibers were 972.4, 686.1, and 798.6 mg g−1, respectively. The results showed that the synthesized nanocomposite could be considered as an efficient adsorbent in the field of wastewater treatment.