adsorption of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy acetic acid (mcpa) from aqueous solution onto cu-fe-no3 layered double hydroxide nanoparticles

The nanoparticles of cu-fe-no3 layered double hydroxide (ldh) were prepared with cu/fe molar ratio of 2:1 by a thermal process and co-precipitation method at ph 9 and were characterized by x-ray powder diffraction (xrpd), thermal gravimetric analysis (tga), atomic adsorption spectroscopy (aas) and fou- rier infrared spectroscopy (ft-ir). the size and morphology of nanoparticles were examined by transmis- sion electron microscopy (tem). cu-fe-no3-ldh was studied as a potential adsorbent of the acid herbi- cide mcpa [(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) acetic acid] as function of ph, contact time and temperature. the results showed high and rapid adsorption of mcpa on the ldh. the characterization of the adsorption products by xrd indicates that the intercalation of mcpa between the ldh layers has not occurred and surface adsorption has happened.