Hybrid iron-based core-shell magnetic catalysts for fast degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous systems

Three types of hybrid modified magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, functionalized with either chitosan, chitosan/iron (II) oxalate or chitosan/iron (III) citrate, were synthesized by chemical precipitation method. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared composites were further tested as magnetic catalysts for the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous media. The kinetic degradation experiments were performed at laboratory scale, while the best operational parameters for all three materials were established: 1.00 g L-1 of catalyst, 10 mmol L-1 H2O2, under simulated solar light irradiation. After 15 min of UVA irradiation under the experimental conditions mentioned above, it was possible to decompose up to 99% of the micropollutant over all catalysts. Fe3O4/chitosan/iron oxalate catalyst showed the highest and fastest catalytic activity in BPA removal. Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of non-biodegradable micropollutants on such iron-based hybrid nanoparticles can be a suitable pre-treatment method for wastewater decontamination, as an environment-friendly simplified approach for water clean-up. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.