Simultaneous Removal of Multiple Heavy Metal Ions from River Water Using Ultrafine Mesoporous Magnetite Nanoparticles

The exploration of simultaneous removal of co-existing or multiple pollutants from water by the means of nanomaterials paves a new avenue that is free from secondary pollution and inexpensive. In the aquatic environment, river water contains a mixture of ions, which can influence the adsorption process. In this respect, removing heavy metal ions becomes a true challenge. Here, four heavy metal ions, namely, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Ni²⁺, have been successfully removed simultaneously from river water using ultrafine mesoporous magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (UFMNPs) based on the affinity of these metal ions toward the UFMNP surfaces as well as their unique mesoporous structure, promoting the easy adsorption. The individual removal efficiencies of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Ni²⁺ ions from river water were 98, 87, 90, and 78%, respectively, whereas the removal efficiencies of the mixed Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Ni²⁺ ions were 86, 80, 84, and 54%, respectively, in the same river water. Thus, the data clearly indicate the complex removal of heavy metal ions in multi-ion systems. This study has demonstrated the huge potential of UFMNPs to be effective for their use in wastewater treatment, especially to simultaneously remove multiple heavy metal ions from aqueous media.