Herein, a simplistic redox polymerization
strategy was utilized
for the fabrication of a poly(methacrylic acid)/montmorillonite hydrogel
nanocomposite (PMA/nMMT) and probed as a sorbent for sequestration
of two pharmaceutical contaminants, viz., amoxicillin (AMX) and diclofenac
(DF), from wastewater. The synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite was
characterized by the Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction,
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy
dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy
techniques to analyze structural characteristics and sorption interactions.
The efficacy of PMA/nMMT was thoroughly investigated for the sequestration
of AMX and DF from the aquatic phase with a variation in operative
variables like agitation time, sorbent dosage, pH, and initial sorbate
concentration. The reaction kinetics was essentially consistent with
the pseudo-second-order model with rate dominated by the intraparticle
diffusion model as well as the film diffusion mechanism. The Freundlich
isotherm appropriated the equilibrium data over the entire range of
concentration. Thermodynamic investigation explored the spontaneous
and endothermic nature of the process. The most possible mechanism
has been explained, which includes electrostatic interaction, hydrogen
bonding, cationic exchange, and partition mechanism. Economic feasibility,
better sorption capacity (152.65 for AMX and 152.86 mg/g for DF),
and efficient regeneration and reusability even after four consecutive
sorption–desorption cycles ascertained PMA/nMMT as a potential
sorbent for AMX and DF uptake from the aqueous phase.