One-step synthesis of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole functionalized magnetic Fe3O4 and its application for the removal of heavy metals

Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) was successfully synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal method with MBT adding in the hydrothermal preparation of Fe3O4. The MBT-modification Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-MBT) was recognized by the characterization of transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive spectroscope, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and zeta potentials. The prepared Fe3O4-MBT material was used to remove Heand Pb2+ from aqueous solution. The optimum pH for Hg2+ and Pb2+ adsorption were 6.5 and 6.0, respectively. The adsorption results indicated that the prepared Fe3O4-MBT10 exhibited high adsorption capacity (Hg2+: 262.85 mg-g(-1); Pb2+: 178.25 mg-g(-1)) and short adsorption time (within 30 min) for two heavy metals. And the experimental data were in accordance with the Langmuir isothermal and pseudo-second-order kinetics models. FT-IR, XPS and Density Functional Theory simulation provided useful information that the covalent bond and electrostatic attraction were the major adsorption force between adsorbent and heavy metals. The good adsorption selectivity, stability and reusability displayed that the synthesized Fe3O4-MBT10 can be a promising adsorbent for the heavy metal removal in practical application. (C) 2020 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.