Nitrate removal from aqueous solutions by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method: isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies.

The purpose of this study was to examine the nitrate adsorption by cobalt ferrite (CFO) nanoparticles. The adsorbent was synthesized by co-precipitation method and its structure was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating-sample magnetometry. In batch adsorption studies, the effects of various parameters like pH (3-11), adsorbent dose (0.2-0.8 g/L), contact time (5-120 min), initial nitrate concentration (50-200 mg/L), and temperature (283-313 K) on the adsorption process were examined. The results of this study indicated that the maximum adsorption capacity was 107.8 mg/g (optimum condition pH = 3, adsorbent dosage: 0.2 g/L, nitrate concentration: 200 mg/L, contact time: 20 min and temperature: 313 K). The adsorption isotherm had a proper match with Langmuir (R