Hexavalent Chromium Removal Using Novel Magnetite-Functionalized Human Hair and Berseem Hay in Batch and Column Systems

One of the alternatives for pollutants removal nowadays is nanotechnology. In this study, ferric nanoparticles (Fe3O4) loaded berseem hay (BH) and human hair (HH) to form magnetite nanoparticles (MNLBH and MNLHH) were used as efficient adsorbents to remove hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) from wastewater through batch and fixed-bed column adsorption. The zeta potential, TEM, FTIR, and XRD were employed to characterize the adsorbents. Adsorption experiments were conducted under varying conditions, including pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and initial metal concentration. At acidic medium, 100 ml of a 10 mg L_1 concentrated solution was removed by 0.15 g of MNLHH in 60 minutes and by MNLBH in 70 minutes, with an efficiency of 94.5 % and 91%, respectively, of heavy metal Isotherm models indicated that Temkin best fit MNLHH data, while Langmuir described MNLBH well; kinetic studies followed pseudo-second-order and pseudo-first-order models, respectively. In column studies, Cr⁶ concentration (10–20 ppm), flow rate (2.5–3.5 mL/min), and bed height (0.3–1 cm) were varied, with maximum capacity reaching 3.142 mg/g at 0.5 cm. The study highlights a novel, eco-friendly, and cost-effective bio-composite for Cr⁶⁺ remediation.