Adsorptive removal of norfloxacin from aqueous solution by reduced graphene oxide anchored copper ferrite composite

Abstract

Unrestricted discharge of pharmaceuticals and their waste in the surrounding and the contamination of the aquatic environment are one of the burning topics in pollution-removing research works. In this research paper adsorption method is employed for which a novel adsorbent reduced graphene oxide based copper ferrite is prepared by wet method to remove Norfloxacin which is 3rd generation antibiotic and also found in the environment in significant amounts from aqueous solution. The SEM micrograph demonstrates that copper ferrite was successfully deposited on the reduced graphene oxide flakes. The EDS result demonstrates the presence of copper and iron metal in the adsorbent. The maximal reduction of graphene oxide into reduced graphene oxide has been detected using XRD data. The XRD examination of copper ferrite has proven that CuFe2O4 and a trace amount of CuO were formed. According to the FTIR analysis, as graphene oxide reduces to form reduced graphene oxide, fewer oxygen-containing functional groups are present. BET analysis was done to find out the pore volume and surface area of the adsorbent. The highest removal efficiency was found to be 90.55%. The process followed the Langmuir isotherm which gives the maximum adsorption capacity of 296.74 mg.g-1. Pseudo-second-order kinetics was best fitted for the process. After 5 cycles of regeneration of the adsorbent, a minor drop in removal efficiency was observed.