Efficiency in Ofloxacin Antibiotic Water Remediation by Magnetic Zeolites Formed Combining Pure Sources and Wastes

Abstract

In this work, red mud (RM) and spinel iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were added to pure silica/alumina sources (SAs) and fly ash (FA) with the aim of synthesizing and investigating the magnetic behavior of different zeolites. SAs were used to synthesize zeolite with LTA topology (zeolite A) with the addition of both red mud and spinel iron oxide nanoparticles. FA and RM were mixed to synthesize sodalite whereas only FA with the addition of SPIONs was used to form zeolite with FAU-topology (zeolite X). All the synthetic products showed magnetic properties. However, zeolites with spinel iron oxide nanoparticles (zeolites A and X) showed ferromagnetic-like behavior. Sodalite was characterized by a reduction in saturation magnetization, whereas zeolite A with red mud displayed antiferromagnetic behavior. For the first time, all the synthetic products were tested for polluted water remediation by a persistent emerging contaminant, ofloxacin (OFL) antibiotic. The four zeolite types showed good adsorption affinity towards OFL under actual conditions (tap water, natural pH). All materials were also tested for OFL removal in real waters spiked with OFL 10 µg L−1. Satisfactory recoveries (90–92% in tap water, 83–87% in river water) were obtained for the two zeolites synthesized from industrial waste materials.

Methods to prepare biosorbents and magnetic sorbents for water treatment: a review

“…The adsorption of PPCPs and other emerging organic contaminants onto zeolite-based adsorbents has been reported mainly through hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction mechanisms (Belviso et al 2021;Goyal et al 2018). However, a zeolite-based adsorbent capable of efficient adsorption of different organic pollutants was generally synthesized via chemical functionalization.…”

Fe3O4-Halloysite Nanotube Composites as Sustainable Adsorbents: Efficiency in Ofloxacin Removal from Polluted Waters and Ecotoxicity

“…Adsorption properties and mechanism of each nanocomposite were investigated, and compared with the commercial halloysite. The antibiotic ofloxacin (OFL) was chosen as the target molecule to assess the adsorption efficiency of HNT/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites for different reasons: (i) it is a very useful antibacterial agent belonging to the last class of antibiotics; (ii) it is largely detected in wastewaters and surface waters [ 3 ]; (iii) it is a recalcitrant to biological degradation [ 35 ]; (iv) it maintains a certain antibacterial activity after the first steps of its degradation [ 35 ]; (v) it has been used in our previous studies regarding both fluoroquinolones’ environmental fate and their removal by adsorption processes [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. The suitability of three materials for OFL removal under environmental conditions, i.e., tap and river waters, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, was also verified.…”

Special Issue “Sustainable Remediation Processes Based on Zeolites”

“…The other works analyze the successful use of these natural and synthetic microporous/mesoporous materials to reduce toxic metals and organic contaminants from water [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. For instance, Mancinelli et al [12] studied the efficiency of 13X and ZSM-5 synthetic zeolites in heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOC) removal from polluted water of an industrial area designated as Contaminated Sites of National Interest.…”