Porous maghemite–sepiolite–silica xerogel sorbent for broad-spectrum removal of antibiotics, micro/nanoplastics and dye

Emerging contaminants (ECs), including antibiotics and micro/nanoplastics, pose increasing risks to aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. Herein, we report a cost-effective, magnetically responsive MAG-SEP-XER sorbent constructed from natural sepiolite fibers, maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃), and silica xerogel. When compared with conventional passive adsorbents, MAG-SEP-XER integrates broad-spectrum adsorption, magnetic recovery, and micro-motor-assisted dynamic decontamination, enabling efficient removal of tetracycline (TETRA), ciprofloxacin (CIPRO), microplastics, and nanoplastics with efficiencies up to 99%. In batch tests, 20 mg of MAG-SEP-XER removed 75–96.5% of TETRA and 79–82% of CIPRO within 120 min at 5 ppm, while higher dosages enabled near-complete removal of 98–99%. The maximum adsorption capacities reached 4.4, 4.12, 180, and 80 mg/g for TETRA, CIPRO, microplastics, and nanoplastics, respectively. Further, MAG-SEP-XER also achieved 70–99% removal in real water samples and retained appreciable performance after five adsorption–desorption cycles. Moreover, as a magnetically actuated hybrid wireless micro-motor, MAG-SEP-XER enabled dynamic MB decontamination with 80–90% removal efficiency. This work demonstrates a scalable, efficient approach for mitigating multiple ECs, highlighting its potential for real-world water treatment applications.