Simultaneous removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI) by Mg–Al–Cl layered double hydroxide and mechanism insight

Mg–Al–Cl layered double hydroxide (Cl-LDH) was prepared to simultaneously remove Cu(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The coexisting Cu(II) (20 mg/L) and Cr(VI) (40 mg/L) were completely removed within 30 min by Cl-LDH in a dosage of 2.0 g/L; the removal rate of Cu(II) was accelerated in the presence of Cr(VI). Moreover, compared with the adsorption of single Cu(II) or Cr(VI), the adsorption capacities of Cl-LDH for Cu(II) and Cr(VI) can be improved by 81.05% and 49.56%, respectively, in the case of coexisting Cu(II) (200 mg/L) and Cr(VI) (400 mg/L). The affecting factors (such as solution initial pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time) have been systematically investigated. Besides, the changes of pH values and the concentrations of Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ in relevant solutions were monitored. To get the underlying mechanism, the Cl-LDH samples before and after adsorption were thoroughly characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. On the basis of these analyses, a possible mechanism was proposed. The coadsorption process involves anion exchange of Cr(VI) with Cl⁻ in Cl-LDH interlayer, isomorphic substitution of Mg²⁺ with Cu²⁺, formation of Cu₂Cl(OH)₃ precipitation, and the adsorption of Cr(VI) by Cu₂Cl(OH)₃. This work provides a new insight into simultaneous removal of heavy metal cations and anions from wastewater by Cl-LDH.     

Synthesis of a novel illite@carbon nanocomposite adsorbent for removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater

A novel illite@carbon (I@C) nanocomposite adsorbent has been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal carbonization process (HTC) using glucose as carbonaceous source and illite as the carrier. The morphology, microstructure and surface properties of the prepared nanocomposite adsorbent were analyzed by FESEM, TGA, XRD, FT-IR and Zeta potential measurements. Batch experiments were carried out on the adsorption of Cr(VI) to determine the adsorption properties of the composite. The adsorption of Cr(VI) onto the I@C nanocomposite was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. Compared with the illite and carbon material (SC) separately, the prepared I@C nanocomposite adsorbent exhibited enhanced adsorption performance for Cr(VI) with a maximum adsorption capacity of 149.25 mg/g, which was higher than that of most reported adsorbents. In addition, the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic based on the adsorption thermodynamics study. The adsorption of Cr(VI) by I@C was highly pH-dependent and the optimum adsorption occurred at pH 2.0. The Zeta potential analysis results indicated that the electrostatic interactions between anionic Cr(VI) and the positively charged surface of the adsorbent might be critical to the adsorption mechanism. This study demonstrated that the I@C nanocomposite should be a promising candidate for a low-cost, environmental friendly and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of toxic Cr(VI) from wastewater.     

Fe3O4@SiO2-Chitosan的制备及其对水中Cu2+的吸附效能研究

以SiO_2包覆Fe_3O_4,戊二醛为交联剂,交联壳聚糖(Chitosan, CTS),制得Fe_3O_4@SiO_2-Chitosan复合磁性纳米粒子.以Fe_3O_4和Fe_3O_4@SiO_2为对照,采用X射线衍射、透射电镜和傅立叶红外光谱对其进行表征分析,并测定了投加量、pH值、吸附时间和温度等因素对Cu~(2+)吸附效果的影响,从动力学、热力学以及再生回用性能评价等方面对其吸附性能进行了探究.结果表明Fe_3O_4@SiO_2-Chitosan对Cu~(2+)的吸附过程符合准二级吸附动力学模型和Langmuir模型,为自发、放热、优惠型的单分子层化学吸附.在pH为6.0, 298 K下达到最大吸附量154.8 mg·g~(-1),吸附解吸4次后吸附容量变化不大,说明Fe_3O_4@SiO_2-Chitosan具有较高的吸附容量,可作为处理含铜废水和回收铜的高效吸附剂.     

Kinetics and mechanism of hexavalent chromium removal by basic oxygen furnace slag

Basic oxygen furnace slag(BOFS) has the potential to remove hexavalent chromium(Cr(VI))from wastewater by a redox process due to the presence of minerals containing Fe2+. The effects of the solution p H, initial Cr(VI) concentration, BOFS dosage, BOFS particle size, and temperature on the removal of Cr(VI) was investigated in detail through batch tests. The chemical and mineral compositions of fresh and reacted BOFS were characterized using scanning electron microscope(SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS)system and X-ray diffractometer(XRD). The results show that Cr(VI) in wastewater can be efficiently removed by Fe2+released from BOFS under appropriate acidic conditions. The removal of Cr(VI) by BOFS significantly depended on the parameters mentioned above. The reaction of Cr(VI) with BOFS followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Fe2+responsible for Cr(VI) removal was primarily derived from the dissolution of Fe O and Fe3O4 in BOFS. When H2SO4 was used to adjust the solution acidity, gypsum(Ca SO4·2H2O)could be formed and become an armoring precipitate layer on the BOFS surface, hindering the release of Fe2+and the removal of Cr(VI). Finally, the main mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by BOFS was described using several consecutive reaction steps.     

Removal of Cs from water and soil by ammonium-pillared montmorillonite/Fe3O4 composite

To remove cesium ions from water and soil, a novel adsorbent was synthesized by following a one-step co-precipitation method and using non-toxic raw materials. By combining ammonium-pillared montmorillonite (MMT) and magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄), an MMT/Fe₃O₄ composite was prepared and characterized. The adsorbent exhibited high selectivity of Cs⁺ and could be rapidly separated from the mixed solution under an external magnetic field. Above all, the adsorbent had high removal efficiency in cesium-contaminated samples (water and soil) and also showed good recycling performance, indicating that the MMT/Fe₃O₄ composite could be widely applied to the remediation of cesium-contaminated environments. It was observed that the pH, solid/liquid ratio and initial concentration affected adsorption capacity. In the presence of coexisting ions, the adsorption capacity decreased in the order of Ca^2 + > Mg^2 + > K⁺ > Na⁺, which is consistent with our theoretical prediction. The adsorption behavior of this new adsorbent could be expressed by the pseudo-second-order model and Freundlich isotherm. In addition, the adsorption mechanism of Cs⁺ was NH₄⁺ ion exchange and surface hydroxyl group coordination, with the former being more predominant.     

沸石负载羟基氧化铁对铬（VI）吸附的固体浓度效应研究

本文利用沸石负载羟基氧化铁作吸附剂对六价铬进行吸附和解吸附实验。探讨了沸石负载羟基氧化铁对六价铬的吸附机制和固体浓度效应。实验结果表明：当吸附剂的用量从0.05g增加到0.2g时,在实验条件下,六价铬的吸附量从27999.493μg/g降低到8930.610μg/g,吸附剂对Cr6＋的吸附存在明显的固体浓度（Cs）效应。吸附滞后角随着Cs的增加而减小,吸附反应的可逆性增大。将实验数据分别用Languir和Freundlich吸附模型进行拟合,发现Freundlich吸附模型对实验数据拟合效果较好,表明该吸附反应以单分子层吸附为主。     

Insight into the adsorption of tetracycline onto amino and amino–Fe functionalized mesoporous silica: Effect of functionalized groups

In order to study the influences of functionalized groups onto the adsorption of tetracycline (TC), we prepared a series of amino and amino–Fe^3 + complex mesoporous silica adsorbents with diverse content of amino and Fe^3 + groups (named N,N-SBA15 and Fe-N,N-SBA15). The resulting mesoporous silica adsorbents were fully characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms. Furthermore, the effects of functionalized groups on the removal of TC were investigated. The results showed that the periodic ordered structure of SBA-15 was maintained after modification of amino/Fe^3 + groups. The functionalized amino groups decreased the adsorption capacity while the coordinated Fe^3 + increased the adsorption capacity. The adsorption kinetics of TC fitted pseudo-second-order model well and the equilibrium was achieved quickly. The adsorption isotherms fitted the Langmuir model well and with the Fe^3 + content increased from 3.93% to 8.26%, the Q_max of the adsorbents increased from 102 to 188 mmol/kg. The solution pH affected the adsorption of TC onto amino complex adsorbents slightly while influenced the adsorption onto Fe-amine complex adsorbents greatly. The adsorption of TC on SBA15 and N,N-SBA15 may be related to the formation of outer-sphere surface complexes, while the adsorption of TC onto Fe-N,N-SBA15 was mainly attributed to the inner-sphere surface complexes. This study could offer potential materials that have excellent adsorption behavior for environmental remediation and suggested useful information for the preparing other adsorbents in environmental applications.     

支化聚乙烯亚胺功能化磁性纳米吸附剂的制备及对Cu2+的吸附研究

为解决水体中重金属Cu²⁺污染,本研究首先采用水热法制备得到超顺磁四氧化三铁纳米粒子,然后使用对Cu²⁺具有强络合作用的含有丰富氨基官能团的支化聚乙烯亚胺接枝到纳米粒子表面,得到Fe₃O₄@BPEI磁性纳米吸附剂。采用红外光谱（FTIR）、X射线粉末衍射（XRD）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）等对其结构、尺寸及形貌进行表征。研究了不同吸附因素对吸附剂吸附Cu²⁺的影响,确定了最佳吸附条件,并通过吸附动力学模型和吸附等温线模型进一步探讨吸附机理。结果表明：支化聚乙烯亚胺成功接枝到四氧化三铁纳米粒子表面。最佳吸附条件为pH=6.0、吸附平衡时间为40 min、吸附剂用量为10 mg。通过实验数据拟合,Fe₃O₄@PEI吸附Cu²⁺的过程符合Langmuir等温吸附方程和拟二级动力学模型,表明吸附过程为化学吸附控制的单分子层覆盖,在303 K时,模型理论饱和吸附量为141.24 mg/g。表明支化聚乙烯亚胺修饰的磁性纳米吸附剂对Cu²⁺具有较强的吸附能力,对水体中Cu²⁺的去除具有一定的应用前景。     

Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution with bamboo charcoal chemically modified by iron and cobalt with the assistance of microwave

Bamboo charcoal (BC) was used as starting material to prepare Co-Fe binary oxideloaded adsorbent (Co-Fe-MBC) through its impregnation in Co(NO3)2 , FeCl3 and HNO3 solutions simultaneously, followed by microwave heating. The low-cost composite was characterized and used as an adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal from water. The results showed that a cobalt and iron binary oxide (CoFe2O4 ) was uniformly formed on the BC through redox reactions. The composite exhibited higher surface area (331 m2/g) than that of BC or BC loaded with Fe alone (Fe-MBC). The adsorption of Cr(VI) strongly depended on solution pH, temperature and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir isotherm model well, and the maximum adsorption capacities for Cr(VI) at 288 K and pH 5.0 were 35.7 and 51.7 mg/g for Fe-MBC and Co-Fe-MBC, respectively. The adsorption processes were well fitted by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto both adsorbents was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic under the studied conditions. The spent Co-Fe-MBC could be readily regenerated for reuse.     

膨润土-白云石复合吸附剂对Fe2+和Mn2+的吸附性能

针对煤矿排出的大量含重金属离子的酸性矿山废水污染问题,采用自制膨润土-白云石复合颗粒吸附剂对含Fe2+和Mn2+的酸性矿山废水进行吸附试验研究。结果表明:膨润土-白云石复合颗粒吸附剂释放总碱度达118.39mg/g(以CaCO3计),可中和酸性矿山废水;随着废水中Fe2+和Mn2+浓度增加,膨润土复合颗粒吸附剂的吸附量在不断增加,且大于原膨润土颗粒吸附剂;建立了膨润土复合颗粒吸附剂对Fe2+和Mn2+的吸附等温式和吸附动力学方程式:膨润土复合颗粒吸附剂对Fe2+的吸附符合BET吸附,对Mn2+的吸附符合Freundlich吸附,对Fe2+、Mn2+的吸附动力学均符合准二级动力学。膨润土-白云石复合颗粒吸附剂既能释放碱度、又对Fe2+和Mn2+具有优良的吸附性能,可作为处理含重金属离子酸性矿山废水的绿色环保矿物材料应用于实际。     

油菜秸杆外壳对水溶液中六价铬的吸附作用

为探讨油菜秸秆外壳去除水溶液中重金属铬的可能性及其影响因素,并研究其吸附性能和吸附机制.采用Box-Behnken Design实验设计研究了水溶液中六价铬[Cr(VI)]初始浓度、pH值范围、油菜秸秆外壳添加量和吸附温度4个因素对油菜秸秆外壳去除溶液中Cr(VI)的影响作用;用吸附等温方程、吸附动力学方程与热力学方程分别探讨了油菜秸秆外壳去除水溶液中Cr(VI)的行为;采用红外光谱技术对油菜秸秆外壳吸附水溶液Cr(VI)前后进行表征,探讨其吸附机制.油菜秸秆外壳去除溶液中Cr(VI)的最佳条件组合为:在吸附时间为1440min时,Cr(VI)初始浓度为99.15mg/L、pH值为1.01、油菜秸秆外壳添加量为2.90g/L和吸附温度35.70℃,Cr(VI)去除率为91.97%;吸附等温线拟合,吸附Cr(VI)行为符合Freundlich方程,为优惠吸附;热力学研究表明:溶液中Cr(VI)吸附属吸热反应,且为自发吸附行为;吸附动力学显示:油菜秸秆外壳去除溶液Cr(VI)符合准二阶动力学方程,吸附过程中存在离子交换;红外光谱提示:吸附过程中,O—H、C—H、NH3+、N—H和C—O基团与Cr(VI) 络合吸附发挥了重要作用.油菜秸秆外壳能够有效吸附水溶液中的Cr(VI),pH值是最为重要的影响因素.     

石墨烯基磁性复合材料吸附水中亚甲基蓝的研究

建立了一种超声辅助共沉淀法制备磁性Fe3O4/氧化石墨烯(Fe3O4/GO)纳米粒子.透射电镜和磁滞回线研究表明,该复合物具有小的颗粒尺寸和超顺磁性.该磁性纳米材料可以吸附废水中的染料亚甲基蓝,实验研究了溶液pH值、吸附剂的用量、时间和温度对亚甲基蓝去除率的影响.结果表明,pH值在6~9范围内,Fe3O4/GO都能高效地吸附亚甲基蓝.反应过程在前25 min反应速率很快,到180 min内达到吸附平衡.该磁性纳米材料对亚甲基蓝的吸附符合Langmuir吸附等温模型和准二级动力学方程,吸附过程是一个自发和吸热过程.该吸附材料对亚甲基蓝吸附容量高,在313 K时Fe3O4/GO的饱和吸附量为196.5 mg·g-1.另外,可以方便地通过外部磁场分离回收吸附剂,利用过氧化氢可以再生重复使用,是一种优良的吸附染料废水的材料.     

核壳式磁性碳纳米吸附剂的制备及其对水环境中金霉素的吸附研究

采用水热法和热处理法制备了高比表面积的核壳式磁性碳纳米吸附剂(Fe3C/Fe@C).该吸附剂具有强磁性内核和石墨碳外壳.考察了Fe3C/Fe@C对水环境中金霉素(CTC)的去除能力.结果表明,Fe3C/Fe@C对CTC表现出极强的吸附性能,其吸附行为符合准二级动力学模型,24 h内吸附达到平衡.CTC的吸附能力随溶液pH(3.5～7.5)的增加而增加,但当pH在7.5～8.5时吸附能力下降.CTC的吸附随溶液温度的增加而降低,随离子强度的增加而增加.溶液中共存腐殖酸浓度为10～50mg.L-1时,CTC的吸附仅降低了10%～20%.在最佳条件下(pH=7.5,T=293 K),由Langmuir吸附模型拟合的CTC最大吸附容量为909 mg.g-1,该吸附容量远大于沉积物和矿物对CTC的吸附.吸附CTC后的Fe3C/Fe@C在磁场作用下可以快速从水样中收集,便于进一步处理,避免对环境的二次污染.这些结果表明,Fe3C/Fe@C可作为水环境中四环素类抗生素去除的一种潜在的高效、绿色吸附剂.     

氨基修饰氧化石墨烯-羧甲基纤维素复合吸附剂的制备及其对Cr (VI)的吸附性能研究

为获得价格低廉、吸附性能优良的石墨烯基吸附剂,以氧化石墨烯（GO）、羧甲基纤维素（CMC）为基材,以聚乙烯亚胺（PEI）为改性试剂,通过化学修饰的方法制备了氨基修饰氧化石墨烯-羧甲基纤维素复合吸附剂（GO-PEI-CMC）.采用扫描电镜（SEM）、傅里叶红外光谱（FT-IR）及X射线光电子能谱（XPS）等表征手段证实了CMC、氧化石墨烯与PEI已成功复合.静态吸附实验表明GO-PEI-CMC对Cr （VI）表现出良好的吸附性能,由Langmuir等温吸附模型所得最大吸附量值为243.92 mg·g^-1.吸附动力学、吸附等温线研究表明GO-PEI-CMC对Cr （VI）的吸附为单分子层、化学吸附过程.GO-PEI-CMC对Cr （VI）吸附性能优良,且具有绿色环保、可生物降解的优点,是一种极具潜力的Cr （VI）吸附剂.     

壳聚糖/改性平菇复合吸附剂对Cr(VI)的吸附特性

以壳聚糖和经酒石酸改性的平菇粉末为材料,通过戊二醛进行交联反应,制得壳聚糖-改性平菇凝胶小球（CMPOD）复合生物吸附剂,用于水溶液中Cr（VI）的吸附去除.结果表明,在实验所测pH值（2~10）范围内,复合吸附剂对Cr（VI）的吸附量随着pH值上升而降低;随着Cr（VI）初始浓度或温度的提高,吸附剂对Cr（VI）的吸附量均相应增加,当Cr（VI）初始浓度为600mg/L,温度为50℃,Cr（VI）吸附量可达190mg/g以上;Cr（VI）的吸附符合准二级动力学方程及Freundlich等温吸附模型;热力学分析表明,吸附剂对Cr（VI）的吸附过程为自发的吸热反应.扫描电镜（SEM）分析显示,吸附剂具有发达的网状结构,吸附Cr（VI）后网状孔隙被填充,且能谱分析（EDS）出现明显的Cr（VI）吸收峰;傅立叶红外光谱分析（FTIR）表明,壳聚糖中的氨基成功引入复合吸附剂中,在Cr（VI）吸附中为主要作用官能团.     

Weak magnetic field accelerates chromate removal by zero-valent iron

Weak magnetic field(WMF) was employed to improve the removal of Cr(VI) by zero-valent iron(ZVI) for the first time. The removal rate of Cr(VI) was elevated by a factor of 1.12–5.89 due to the application of a WMF, and the WMF-induced improvement was more remarkable at higher Cr(VI) concentration and higher p H. Fe2+was not detected until Cr(VI) was exhausted, and there was a positive correlation between the WMF-induced promotion factor of Cr(VI) removal rate and that of Fe2+release rate in the absence of Cr(VI) at pH 4.0–5.5. These phenomena imply that ZVI corrosion with Fe2+release was the limiting step in the process of Cr(VI) removal. The superimposed WMF had negligible influence on the apparent activation energy of Cr(VI) removal by ZVI, indicating that WMF accelerated Cr(VI)removal by ZVI but did not change the mechanism. The passive layer formed with WMF was much more porous than without WMF, thereby facilitating mass transport. Therefore,WMF could accelerate ZVI corrosion and alleviate the detrimental effects of the passive layer, resulting in more rapid removal of Cr(VI) by ZVI. Exploiting the magnetic memory of ZVI, a two-stage process consisting of a small reactor with WMF for ZVI magnetization and a large reactor for removing contaminants by magnetized ZVI can be employed as a new method of ZVI-mediated remediation.     

Reduced graphene oxide-nano zero value iron (rGO-nZVI) micro-electrolysis accelerating Cr(VI) removal in aquifer

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) assembled on graphene oxide (GO) (rGO-nZVI) composites were synthesized by reduction of GO and ferrous ions with potassium borohydride, for use in Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. The results showed that the two-dimensional structure of GO could provide a skeleton support for Fe⁰, thus overcoming the bottleneck of aggregation for nZVI. Also, rGO-nZVI would form a ferric-carbon micro-electrolysis system in Cr(VI)-contaminated aquifers, enhancing and accelerating electron transfer, exhibiting high rate and capacity for Cr(VI) removal. The optimum dosage of the applied rGO-nZVI was linearly correlated with the initial Cr(VI) concentration. Characterization of rGO-nZVI before and after reaction with Cr(VI) revealed the process of Cr(VI) removal: rGO-nZVI firstly transferred electrons from Fe⁰ cores via their Fe(II)/Fe(III) shells to the GO sheet; there, negatively charged Cr(VI) received electrons and changed into positively charged Cr(III), which was adsorbed by the negatively charged GO sheet, avoiding the capping and passivating of nZVI. rGO-nZVI formed a good electrically conductive network, and thus had long-term electron releasing properties, which was important for groundwater remediation.     

Modification of a magnetic carbon composite for ciprofloxacin adsorption

A magnetic carbon composite, Fe₃O₄/C composite, was fabricated by one-step hydrothermal synthesis, modified by heat treatment under an inert atmosphere (N₂), and then used as an adsorbent for ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal. Conditions for the modification were optimized according to the rate of CIP removal. The adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction measurements, vibrating-sample magnetometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherm measurements. The results indicate that the modified adsorbent has substantial magnetism and has a large specific area, which favor CIP adsorption. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, initial CIP concentration, ion strength, humic acid and solution temperature on CIP removal were also studied. Our results show that all of the above factors influence CIP removal. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm fits the adsorption process well, with the pseudo second-order model describing the adsorption kinetics accurately. The thermodynamic parameters indicate that adsorption is mainly physical adsorption. Recycling experiments revealed that the behavior of adsorbent is maintained after recycling for five times. Overall, the modified magnetic carbon composite is an efficient adsorbent for wastewater treatment.     

Mechanism of Methylene Blue adsorption on hybrid laponite-multi-walled carbon nanotube particles

The kinetics of adsorption and parameters of equilibrium adsorption of Methylene Blue(MB)on hybrid laponite-multi-walled carbon nanotube(NT)particles in aqueous suspensions were determined.The laponite platelets were used in order to facilitate disaggregation of NTs in aqueous suspensions and enhance the adsorption capacity of hybrid particles for MB.Experiments were performed at room temperature(298 K),and the laponite/NT ratio(X_l)was varied in the range of 0–0.5.For elucidation of the mechanism of MB adsorption on hybrid particles,the electrical conductivity of the system as well as the electrokinetic potential of laponite-NT hybrid particles were measured.Three different stages in the kinetics of adsorption of MB on the surface of NTs or hybrid laponite-NT particles were discovered to be a fast initial stage Ⅰ(adsorption time t=0–10 min),a slower intermediate stage Ⅱ(up to t=120 min)and a long-lasting final stage Ⅲ(up to t=24 hr).The presence of these stages was explained accounting for different types of interactions between MB and adsorbent particles,as well as for the changes in the structure of aggregates of NT particles and the long-range processes of restructuring of laponite platelets on the surface of NTs.The analysis of experimental data on specific surface area versus the value of X_l evidenced in favor of the model with linear contacts between rigid laponite platelets and NTs.It was also concluded that electrostatic interactions control the first stage of adsorption at low MB concentrations.     

Shellac-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for removal of cadmium(II) ions from aqueous solution

This study describes a new effective adsorbent for cadmium removal from aqueous solution synthesized by coating a shellac layer, a natural biodegradable and renewable resin with abundant hydroxyl and carboxylic groups, on the surface of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) imaging showed shellac-coated magnetic nanoparticle (SCMN) adsorbents had a core-shell structure with a core of 20 nm and shell of 5 nm. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic analysis suggested the occurrence of reaction between carboxyl groups on the SCMN adsorbent surface and cadmium ions in aqueous solution. Kinetic data were well described by pseudo second-order model and adsorption isotherms were fitted with both Langmuir and Freundlich models with maximum adsorption capacity of 18.80 mg/g. SCMN adsorbents provided a favorable adsorption capacity under high salinity conditions, and cadmium could easily be desorbed using mild organic acid solutions at low concentration.