Shokokoofeh Ghasemi - School of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
Siavash Mansouri - Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology, Babol, Iran
Mohsen Mehdipour Ghazi - School of Chemical, Gas and Petroleum Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
Mohsen ghorbani - Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology, Babol, Iran

In the present study, maghemite (γ−Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized in one step by co-precipitation method and then coated by polyrhodanine via chemical oxidation polymerization. The prepared magnetic nanocomposite was used as an effective adsorbent to separate zinc ions from aqueous solution in a fixed-bed column. The effect of influent Zn concentration on the breakthrough characteristics of the adsorption system was determined. Various initial Zn concentrations from 50 to 150mg/L were used. The breakthrough time, exhausted time and treated volume decreased with the increase of influent concentration. The maximum percentage of Zn adsorption on γ−Fe2O3/polyrhodanine nanocomposite was 59.5% at 50mgL-1 influent concentration of Zn ions. The amount of maximum adsorption capacity increased from 20.59mg/g to 33.6mg/g with increasing influent concentration from 50mg/L to 150mg/L. The increase of maximum capacity with increasing of initial Zn concentration may be due to the higher driving force which led to decrease of mass transfer resistance.

nanocomposite, Zn ions, column, effluent, breakthrough