Eco‐Friendly Gum Acacia‐g‐Poly(N,N‐Dimethylacrylamide)/NiCoFe2O4 Nanocomposite Hydrogel for Efficient Levofloxacin Removal: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Mechanism

Abstract In this work, an eco‐friendly nanocomposite hydrogel was successfully designed by grafting N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMA) onto GA via free radical polymerization, followed by incorporation of NiCoFe 2 O 4 (NCF) nanoparticles. The resulting gum acacia‐grafted‐poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide)/NiCoFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite hydrogel, thoroughly characterised by FT‐IR, powder‐XRD, FEG‐SEM, zeta (ζ) potential, TGA, and BET to confirm successful grafting, nanoparticles incorporation, improved porosity, and enhanced stability. Post‐adsorption FT‐IR and SEM analyses revealed strong interactions between the hydrogel surface and LVX molecules, while BET confirmed pore filling as a mechanism. Comprehensive adsorption studies for antibiotic LVX detoxification were performed under a wide range of experimental conditions, including pH (311), adsorbent dosage (10100 mg), LVX concentration (25225 mg L −1 ), contact time (224 h), and temperature (1838 °C) to evaluate adsorption performance of GA‐g‐P(DMA)/NCF nanocomposite. LVX uptake followed the Langmuir isotherm (qmax = 99.5023 mg g −1 ) and pseudo‐second‐order kinetics, suggesting monolayer chemisorption. Moreover, negative values of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) supported the spontaneous, exothermic, and enthalpy‐driven nature of the adsorption process. This work highlights the potential of gum acacia‐based nanocomposite hydrogels as a sustainable and regenerable adsorbent for the remediation of antibiotic‐contaminated wastewater and offers promising prospects for real‐world environmental applications.