Synthesis of novel nanocomposite Fe3O4/ZrO2/chitosan and its application for removal of nitrate and phosphate

A novel nanocomposite with a BET surface area of 212.9   m 2 /g was synthesized from chitosan and Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 using an inexpensive protocol at mild condition. The Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /chitosan composite has the ability to adsorb both nitrate and phosphate. The maximum adsorption amount of nitrate and phosphate is 89.3   mg/g and 26.5   mg   P/g, respectively. The adsorption process fits well to the pseudo-first-order kinetic rate model, and the mechanism involves simultaneous adsorption and intra-particle diffusion. The experimental results suggest that the composite is a promising adsorbent for treating water that is contaminated with nutrients.