Removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4-chloro-2-methyl phenoxyacetic acid herbicides from aquatic environments by a novel polymer magnetic nanoparticles

Increased use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agriculture in order to increase the productivity of fertile lands has led to pollution of water resources with a variety of pollutants, including herbicides. In this study, a new polymer magnetic nanoadsorbent named PV/S-g-3D-GO/N was synthesized and used to remove 2,4-D and MCPA herbicides from aquatic environment.

To investigate the synthesized nanoadsorbent structure FTIR, FESEM, TEM, XRD, VSM and TGA techniques were used and the effect of parameters affecting the optimal removal of herbicides by the adsorbent, including pH, temperature, contact time, adsorption dose and initial herbicide concentration was investigated. The kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic studies of adsorption were also investigated.

The results showed that in the optimal adsorption conditions including pH 3 for both herbicides, contact time of 180 min for 2.4-D herbicide and 300 min for MCPA herbicide, absorption dose 5 g/L and temperature 50°C for both herbicides, the maximum absorption capacity (qmax) was 5.62 mg/g for 2.4-D and 4.94 mg/g for MCPA. The synthesized nanoparticles that were used to remove 2,4-D and MCPA herbicides from real samples were totally successful (100% removal efficiency). For both herbicides studied, the isothermal data followed the Longmuir model (2,4-D: R2 = 0.995; MCPA: R2 = 0.998), and the kinetics of the adsorption process was a pseudo-second-order model (2,4-D: R2 = 0.991; MCPA: R2 = 0.999).

The results of the present study indicate that the synthesized nano-adsorbent can be used to remove phenoxic herbicides from agricultural runoff as well as water sources contaminated with the studied herbicides.