Graphene oxide functionalized with cobalt ferrites applied to the removal of bisphenol A: ionic study, reuse capacity and desorption kinetics.

ABSTRACT

A new adsorbent material based on graphene oxide (GO) functionalized with magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (γCoFe2O4) was synthesized via ultrasonication to remove the endocrine-disrupting-chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. The synthesized material (GO-γCoFe2O4) was characterized by TEM, SEM, DRX and FTIR analysis. Magnetization measures proved that the adsorbent had superparamagnetic characteristics that facilitated its separation from the aqueous solution. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained was 30 mg g-1 with adsorbent concentration of 1 g L-1, temperature of 55°C and natural pH of the solution. The experimental data were better adjusted to the kinetic models of pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the BPA adsorption on GO-γCoFe2O4 was spontaneous, exothermic and thermodynamically favourable. Desorption kinetics was performed using 50% ethanol as solvent, resulting in an equilibrium time of 4 h with better adjustment to the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The adsorbent showed a high regeneration capacity maintaining adsorptive capacity above 75% after 6 cycles of reuse.