Fabrication of immobilized magnetic nanoparticles for removal of cadmium and moxifloxacin from aqueous solutions using green approach: Batch and continuous study

In this study, magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were immobilized on sand as a support material via a green co-precipitation method. The nanocomposite properties were tested using several tests such as XRD, FTIR, VSM, BET, BJH, SEM, EDX, and TEM. Then it was employed in batch and continuous experiments to remove cadmium (Cd(II)) and moxifloxacin (MFX) from aqueous solutions. The maximum removal percentages were 94% for MFX at pH 9 and 80% for Cd(II) at pH 6. The continuous experiments exhibited nanocomposite's capacity to impede contaminants' transportation and improve hydraulic properties. In addition, the travel of contaminants was modeled using COMSOL software.