Carbon@CoFe2O4@Ag and hollow CoFe2O4@Ag nanocomposite: green synthesis of a photocatalyst and magnetic adsorbent for antibiotic removal from aqueous solutions

Nowadays antibiotics are one of the most widely used drugs with a high amount of release in nature and a major contribution to environmental pollution. Activated carbon is one of the most widespread adsorbents of these contaminants, but the main drawback to the use of this material is the difficulty of separation from the environment. In this study, we presented a straightforward and biocompatible method for preparation of carbon-based nanocomposite containing cobalt ferrite for use in wastewater treatment. Cobalt ferrite and silver nanoparticles were synthesized on the carbon templates by a hydrothermal method as a green procedure. In this work, grapefruit extract was used to make activated carbon powder. The prepared products were characterized by X-ray Diffraction pattern (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Ultraviolet–Visible absorption (UV–Vis), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) was used to study the magnetic properties of the products. New magnetic C@CoFe 2 O 4 @Ag nanocomposite was successfully examined for removal of penicillin and ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions. Because of the presence of silver on the C@CoFe 2 O 4 @Ag, it also showed photocatalyst property in the photo-degradation of organic pollutants.