Synthesis of magnetic Fe-doped hydroxyapatite nanocages with highly efficient and selective adsorption for Cd2

[Display omitted] •Fe-doped HA nanocages are firstly synthesized using cheap micelles as the template.•The obtained Fe-doped HA nanocages have a hollow core-mesoporous shell structure.•The Fe-doped HA nanocages exhibit highly efficient and selective adsorption for Cd2+.•The Fe-doped HA nanocages have great potential in wastewater treatment. Fe-doped hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocages were firstly synthesized using cheap and readily available potassium mono-dodecyl phosphate as the micelle template agent. The incorporation of Fe into HA crystal lattices makes the hollow structure of Fe-doped HA nanocages resist the shrinkage caused by calcination. The obtained Fe-doped HA nanocages have a size of 80–100 nm, a mesoporous shell with a thickness of 12 nm, a specific surface area of 80.1973 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.43298 cm3/g. The nanocages have a highly efficient and selective adsorption for Cd2+ as well as a superparamagnetic property. The magnetic characteristic and the outstanding adsorption property for heavy metal ions of Fe-doped HA nanocages provide evidence that the material has a great promise for wastewater treatment.