title: Adsorptive removal of Congo red, a carcinogenic textile dye, from aqueous solutions by maghemite nanoparticles.
abstract: The adsorption of Congo red (CR) onto maghemite nanoparticles (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) and its desorption was investigated. The adsorption capacity was evaluated using both the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. Maghemite nanoparticles (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) were prepared easily in a surfactant-less microemulsion by co-precipitation method. The size of the produced maghemite nanoparticles was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Synthesized maghemite nanoparticles showed the highest adsorption capacities of CR compared to many other adsorbents and would be a good method to increase adsorption efficiency for the removal of CR in a wastewater treatment process. The maximum adsorption occurred at pH 5.9. The Langmuir adsorption capacity (q(max)) was found to be 208.33 mg g(-1) of the adsorbent.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran. afkhami@basu.ac.ir
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afkhami
authors.forename: Razieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moosavi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003224:Congo Red / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C000499:ferric oxide; D003224:Congo Red