Enhanced levofloxacin removal using microwave-assisted Garcinia mangostana extract-modified NiAl-LDH

Levofloxacin is a compound that persists in aquatic environments and is difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. This study examines the use of NiAl-layered double hydroxide composite modified with Garcinia mangostana peel extract (NiAl-GM) as a levofloxacin adsorbent. The material was synthesized using a microwave-assisted coprecipitation method, integrating Garcinia mangostana peel extract as a bio-based modifier to enhance the adsorption performance of NiAl-LDH. The material was characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, BET, XPS and TGA/DTA. The adsorption test results showed that NiAl-GM exhibited better performance than pure NiAl-LDH, with a removal efficiency of 66% within 60 min at an optimum pH of 5. In contrast, NiAl-LDH reached only 47% after 70 min. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the Freundlich isotherm, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 34.130 mg/g. Furthermore, NiAl-GM demonstrated reusability over the initial adsorption–desorption cycles. These findings highlight the potential of NiAl-GM as an effective and environmentally friendly adsorbent for levofloxacin removal from aquatic systems.