Novel nanostructured Fe–Cu–Al trimetal oxide for enhanced antimony(V) removal: synthesis, characterization and performance

Abstract

Given the adverse health effects of antimony (Sb), there is an increased focus on developing methods to remove this toxic metal from contaminated water bodies. To effectively remove Sb(V), a new nanostructured Fe–Cu–Al trimetal oxide was fabricated using co-precipitation method at ambient temperature. The Fe–Cu–Al trimetal oxide was very effective at removing Sb(V) from water; it had a maximal adsorption capacity of 169.1 mg/g at pH 7.0, a capacity that was competitive with most other reported adsorbents. The obtained amorphous oxide had a high pH point of zero charge (pHpzc = 8.8) and good adsorption Sb(V) efficiency over a wide pH range (4.0–8.0). Sb(V) uptake was achieved mainly through an ion-exchange reaction between Sb(V) ions and hydroxyl groups on the surface of the oxide. Given its good removal performance, high selectivity, and simple synthesis, this novel Fe–Cu–Al trimetal oxide offers a promising alternate for removing antimony contamination from aquatic environments.