Synthesis and adsorption properties of gelatin-conjugated hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles for lead removal from wastewater

Gelatin-conjugated hematite nanoparticles (HT NPs) are prepared through the solid-state phase transformation in the presence of phosphate. Their adsorption capacity and kinetics are investigated for Pb removal in wastewater. The gelatin-conjugated HT NPs with a size of 4–6 nm exhibit an excellent Pb removal performance, with a high adsorption capacity of 169.49 mg g−1 and a fast equilibrium adsorption kinetics, attributed to the large number of active sites and highly negative charge on the surface of HT NPs. Moreover, the magnetic property of HT NPs enables to selectively collect NPs in the wastewater by using a permanent magnet, leading to its high reusability.