LAUSR

Abstract In this study, the adsorption of methylene-blue (MB) and Cd(II) onto low cost material and easy separation towards cleaner environment was investigated. The cobalt ferrite embedded nitrogen doped carbon nanocomposite (CF@NC) was fabricated using albumen protein bi-metals complexes. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized using several analytical techniques. The electron microscopy results revealed that nanoparticles were spherical in the size range between 10 and 20 nm. The results of Brunauer–Emmett–Teller revealed that the fabricated nanocomposite (CF@NC) had porous nature and the surface area of this nanocomposite was found to be 691.82 m2g−1. The surface of CF@NC adsorbent had a negative charge, a value of about −27.5 mV determined by zeta potential measurement. The adsorption studies were carried out using different parameters such as pH, concentration of the pollutants, adsorption time and temperature for the adsorption of both pollutants. The adsorption kinetics supported the pseudo-second-order reaction and the adsorption isotherm supported the Langmuir isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cd(II) and MB was estimated to be 245.09 mg g−1 and 421.94 mg g− 1. The results concluded that the prepared nanocomposite was a promising hybrid nanocomposites for the rapid adsorption of Cd(II) and MB from water.