One-Step Synthesis of Metal-Modified Nanomagnetic Materials and Their Application in the Removal of Chlortetracycline

Magnetic nanomaterials are promising heterogeneous catalysts for environmental applications. According to X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating-sample magnetometer, a kind of copper-modified nanomagnetic material (Cu-nFe 3 O 4 ) was successfully prepared by a one-step synthesis method. Among them, compared with the two-step synthesis method of Cu/Fe 3 O 4 and Cu/nFe 3 O 4 , Cu-nFe 3 O 4 has the best effect on chlortetracycline (CTC) removal. The batch study results indicate that the maximum removal of chlortetracycline is 99.0% at a dosage = 2.0 g L -1 , copper loading = 0.8 mM, and C 0 = 100 mg L -1 at the optimum conditions within 90 min. The effects of humic acids (HA), NO 3 - , Cl - , CO 3 2- , and PO 4 3- on the CTC removal by Cu-nFe 3 O 4 are also investigated. Repeated experiments were performed on the prepared Cu-nFe 3 O 4 , indicating that Cu-nFe 3 O 4 has good recyclability. The kinetics of the Cu-nFe 3 O 4 removal of CTC was investigated, indicating that the reaction conformed to the double constant model and the reaction is mainly dominated by a chemical reaction with physical adsorption. Finally, the mechanism of the CTC removal by Cu-nFe 3 O 4 in a heterogeneous environment was clarified. This study aims to provide an experimental basis for the environmental application of Cu-nFe 3 O 4 .