Effects of ultrasound waves intensity on the removal of Congo red color from the textile industry wastewater by Fe3O4@TiO2 core-shell nanospheres

TL;DR

This study investigates how ultrasound wave intensity influences the efficiency of Fe3O4@TiO2 nanospheres in removing Congo red dye from textile wastewater, highlighting the enhancement of absorption capacity with increased ultrasound power.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of ultrasound intensity control to optimize nanosphere-mediated dye removal from wastewater.

Findings

Absorption rate reaches 100% at ultrasound powers above 30 watts.

Fe3O4@TiO2 nanospheres are about 5-10 nm in size.

Ultrasound enhances dye removal efficiency significantly.

Abstract

Environmental pollutants, such as colors from the textile industry, affect water quality indicators like color, smell, and taste. These substances in the water cause the obstruction of filters and membranes and thereby reduce the efficiency of advanced water treatment processes. In addition, they are harmful to human health because of reaction with disinfectants and production of by-products. Iron oxide nanoparticles are considered effective absorbents for the removal of pollutants from aqueous environments. In order to increase the stability and dispersion, nanospheres with iron oxide core and titanium dioxide coating were used in this research and their ability to absorb Congo red color was evaluated. Iron oxide-titanium oxide nanospheres were prepared based on the coprecipitation method and then their physical properties were determined using a tunneling electron microscope (TEM) and an X-ray diffraction device. Morphological investigation of the absorbent surface showed that iron oxide-titanium oxide nanospheres sized about 5 to 10 nm. X-ray dispersion survey also suggested the high purity of the sample. In addition, the absorption rate was measured in the presence of ultrasound waves and the results indicated that the capacity of the synthesized sample to absorb Congo red is greatly dependent on the intensity power of ultrasound waves, as the absorption rate reaches 100% at powers above 30 watts.