Biogenic synthesis of magnetic perlite@iron oxide composite: application as a green support for dye removal

This study presents a method to synthesize magnetic expanded perlite composite through a co-precipitation method using single iron source and yellow pea as a reducing agent. The suggested method is environment friendly, easy, and biogenic. The combination of magnetite nanoparticles with expanded perlite and its modification with ibuprofen resulted in a new, cost-effective, and eco-friendly magnetic adsorbent for dye removal from contaminated streams. The prepared composite was characterized by point of zero charge (pHzpc), X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, vibration sample magnetometer, and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The prepared adsorbent was used to remove Direct Red-81 as a target pollutant to test the feasibility of this idea, UV–vis spectroscopy was used to follow the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption was observed within 1 min at pH 4–6 using 30 mg of adsorbent. The experimental data were analyzed by the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models....