Efficient removal of copper ions from aqueous medium using a green synthesis of silver nanoparticles mediated by Mentha spicata leaf extract combined with electrospun polyamide 6 nanofibers: Isotherm and kinetics adsorption study

Subject Areas :

Shima Mahdavi Ghajari ¹ , Mohammad Reza Allah Gholi Ghasri ² , Sajjad Sedaghat ³ , Forogh Adhami ⁴ , Sima Habibi ⁵

1 - Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 - Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
5 - Faculty of Engineering, Department of Textile, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2022-10-13 Accepted : 2022-12-29 Published : 2023-08-23

Keywords: silver nanoparticles, Adsorption, Mentha spicata, Polyamide 6, Copper ions,

Abstract :

In this study, the efficient and fast adsorption of copper ions on silver/polyamide 6 (Ag/PA 6) nanofibers from an aqueous solution were investigated. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was obtained from the leaf extract of the Mentha spicata. The characterization of synthesized AgNPs was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Also, polyamide 6 and silver-polyamide 6 nanofibers were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope. To optimize the experimental factors, one factor at a time (OFAT) was used. The maximum removal percentage was obtained at pH equal to 5, contact time of 75 min, the adsorbent dosage of 2 g, and initial concentration of 20 mg/L. The isotherm models showed that the Langmuir isotherm with the coefficient of determination (R2) equal to 0.9976 was chosen as the best fitting model to describe the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) was obtained at 71.42 mg/g. In addition, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model showed a better fit for the removal of copper ions (R2=0.9994). The results showed that Ag/PA 6 can be used as a simple, efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent to remove pollutants such as heavy metals from aqueous environments.