Paramagnetic Iron-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles with Improved Metal Sorption Properties

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis of paramegnetic iron-containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and their increased Cu²⁺ sorbent capacity when using Ca²⁺ complexes of soluble bio-organic substrates from urban wastes as synthesis precursors. A thorough characterization of the particles by TEM, XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, specific surface area, TGA, XPS, and DLS, indicates that loss of crystallinity, a higher specific area, an increased surface oxygen content, and formation of surface iron phases strongly enhance Cu²⁺ adsorption capacity of hydroxyapatite-based materials. However, the major effect of the surface and morphologycal modifications is the size diminution of the aggregates formed in aqueous solutions leading to an increased effective surface available for Cu²⁺ adsorption. Maximum sorption values of 550-850 mg Cu²⁺ per gram of particles suspended in an aqueous solution at pH 7 were determined; almost 10 times the maximum values observed for hydroxyapatite nanoparticles suspensions under the same conditions.