A multifunctional composite Fe3O4/MOF/L-cysteine for removal, magnetic solid phase extraction and fluorescence sensing of Cd(II)

Fe3O4/MOF (metal organic framework)/L-cysteine was synthesized and applied for the removal of Cd(II) from wastewater. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were investigated, and the results indicated that the adsorption obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity was calculated to be 248.24 mg g−1. Fe3O4/MOF/L-cysteine was further applied to determine trace amounts of Cd(II) in real water samples using ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy) based on magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). The determination limit was 10.6 ng mL−1. Additionally, Fe3O4/MOF/L-cysteine can also be used as a fluorescent sensor for “turn-off” detection of Cd(II), and the detection limit was 0.94 ng mL−1.