Reusable Polymer Ternary Nanocomposite for the Removal of Cationic Dyes — Adsorption Isotherms, Kinetics, Thermodynamic and Toxicity Studies

Methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (Rh B) are the water-soluble dyes, which are widely used and discharged as toxins into the aquatic ecosystem. In this work, a novel ternary nanocomposite namely poly(glycidyl methacrylate)/Fe3O4–GO nanocomposite (PGMA/Fe3O4–GO) was prepared by modified blending technique and used as an efficient adsorbent for the adsorption of MB and Rh B. The prepared PGMA/Fe3O4–GO was characterized using appropriate spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The magnetic property of PGMA/Fe3O4–GO was studied by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), which is a prerequisite of a reusable adsorbent. The experimental parameters were optimized in a batch model; PGMA/Fe3O4–GO dosage 50 mg for 10 mg/L of dyes, equilibrium time 70 min, and pH 8 and 4 for MB and Rh B respectively. To know the toxicity of PGMA/Fe3O4–GO, untreated and treated dyes and cytotoxicity studies were carried out using zebrafish (Danio rerio) gill cell line (DrG). The results revealed that the PGMA/Fe3O4-GO and treated dyes showed no reduction in cell survival and no alteration in the expression level of antioxidant genes and apoptosis markers when compared to untreated dyes. The studies demonstrated that the PGMA/Fe3O4-GO is a non-toxic and reusable adsorbent, which has the potential application for the treatment of textile effluent and waste water purification.