Engineering and characterization of mesoporous silica-coated magnetic particles for mercury removal from industrial effluents

Mesoporous silica coatings were synthesized on dense liquid silica-coated magnetite particles using cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium chloride (CTAC) as molecular templates, followed by sol–gel process. A specific surface area of the synthesized particles as high as 150 m2/g was obtained. After functionalization with mercapto-propyl-trimethoxy-silane (MPTS) through silanation reaction, the particles exhibited high affinity of mercury in aqueous solutions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), zeta potential measurement, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) were used to characterize the synthesis processes, surface functionalization, and mercury adsorption on the synthesized magnetite particles. The loading capacity of the particles for mercury was determined to be as high as 14 mg/g at pH 2. A unique feature of strong magnetism of the synthesized nanocomposite particles makes the subsequent separation of the magnetic sorbents from complex multiphase suspensions convenient and effective.