Nitrilotriacetic acid modified magnetic Prussian blue for efficient removal of cadmium from wastewater

Novel and environmentally-friendly magnetic adsorbent (Fe3O4@[email protected]) was prepared for the removal of cadmium (Cd2+) from wastewater. The magnetic Prussian blue (Fe3O4@PB) was synthesized by hydrochloric acid etching method, so that Prussian blue was grown on the surface of Fe3O4. Then, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) was used as a chelating agent for surface modification of Fe3O4@PB. The successful loading of NTA was confirmed by structural characterizations such as FTIR, TGA, BET, etc. The adsorption isotherm model analysis was consistent with the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacity of Fe3O4@[email protected] for Cd2+ was 310.56 mg/g. Fe3O4@[email protected] has excellent regeneration and reusable performance, the removal rate of Cd2+ still reached by 93.12% after 5 times of regeneration. According to FTIR and XPS analysis, partial -C≡N of Prussian blue might be hydrolyzed to the amide groups. The adsorption mechanism involved the formation of N-Cd coordination bonds by sharing electron pairs due to the presence of O=C-NH and -C≡N on the Fe3O4@[email protected], and the C=O provided by nitrilotriacetic acid could combine with Cd to form the O-Cd complex compound, the electrostatic attraction between COO− and Cd2+ also existed. Therefore, Fe3O4@[email protected] is a promising adsorbent for the treatment of cadmium-containing wastewater.