Experimental and mathematical modeling of Cr(VI) removal using nano-magnetic Fe3O4-coated perlite from the liquid phase

Modification of perlite using nano-magnetic iron oxide was implemented to produce nano-magneticFe₃O₄-coated perlite composite (Fe₃O₄/Perlite). The prepared composite was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Powder X-ray Fluorescence. The potentiality of both perlite and Fe₃O₄/Perlite composite to eliminate Cr(VI) from the environmentally relevant water was investigated. The influence of main factors which could affect the adsorption was studied including; pH of medium, shaking time and Cr(VI) ions concentration. The experimental outcome demonstrated that the modification of perlite by nano-magnetic Fe₃O₄ showed a significantly enhanced Cr(VI) removal efficiency relative to that of unmodified perlite. From the kinetic studies, the experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. Moreover, it proposes that Langmuir isotherm is more adequate than the Freundlich isotherm for both perlite and modified perlite. The results recommended that Fe₃O₄/Perlite composite had a great potential as an economic and efficient adsorbent of Cr(VI) from contaminated water, which has huge application potential.