Supported hybridization of MgCuFe-layered double hydroxides for efficient adsorption of chlortetracycline hydrochloride in sewage.

For the sustainable development of human health and environment, effective measures should be taken to minimize antibiotics contamination. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising alternative adsorbents for antibiotics removal with features of low cost and easily available. In this work, a hybrid composite of MgCuFe-LDHs loading with metal-organic framework of HKUST-1 (HKUST-1@MgCuFe-LDHs) was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method, and then characterized by FT-IR, SEM, XPS, XRD and N adsorption -desorption isotherms systematically. The as-obtained composite exhibited amazing superhigh adsorption capacity of 3381 mg/g to chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTC), which is far superior to the most of reported adsorbents. The improved adsorption forces are associated with the hydrogen bonds, metal complexation, π-π interaction and electrostatic attraction, based the findings on the structure-activity relationship. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics as well as the pH, coexisting ions and temperature effects were studied to verify the above conclusions. The reusability investigation showed that this proposed advanced adsorbent has good stability and high application value for wastewater treatment.