Poly (acrylamide acrylic acid)/Baghouse dust magnetic composite hydrogel as an efficient adsorbent for metals and MB; synthesis, characterization, mechanism, and statistical analysis

Steel manufacturing waste-based magnetic composite hydrogel was fabricated. Acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer (AA) was intercalated to baghouse dust (BHD) to obtain (AABHD) composite. The synthesized AABHD composite was used for the removal of Pb (II), Cd (II), and MB from aqueous media. The AABHD composite was characterized using SEM, BET, XRD, TGA, FTIR, XPS, and zeta potential. The impact of various parameters on the adsorption performance of the AABHD hydrogel for MB, Cd (II), and Pb (II) was evaluated. The experimental kinetics of MB and metals followed the second-order model, where film diffusion was the dominating mechanism. The isotherm study revealed that equilibrium results of MB follow Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R), while metals were well described by Freundlich. AABHD exhibited maximum adsorption efficiencies of 96, 98, and 99 percent and capacities of 503, 236, and 476 mg/g for MB, Cd (II), and Pb (II), respectively. The thermodynamic outcome indicated spontaneous and favorable adsorption of MB and metals. The regeneration study verified the high reusability of the AABHD composite for MB and metals. The obtained findings showed that the AABHD could be efficiently employed for the simultaneous elimination of MB and metal ions from wastewater.