Atiyeh Davari - Department of Chemistry, Yadegar -e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Leila Hajiaghababaei - Department of Chemistry, Yadegar -e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza Badiei - School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza Ganjali - Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Ghodsi Mohammadi Ziarani - Department of Chemistry, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

Magnetic Fe۳O۴ nanoparticles coated with thiol functionalized mesoporous silica (TFMS) were prepared and usedas a novel adsorbent for Pb۲+ and Ag+ removal. FTIR spectra confirmed the Fe۳O۴ nanoparticle cores coated with mesoporous silica and indicated the presence of thiol groups on the surface. XRD analyses showed that synthesized adsorbent has a face-centered cubic magnetite phase structure. The best removal results were obtained at pH=۵-۷ and a stirring time of ۱۵ minutes. The lowest amount of ۳M nitric acid for stripping the target species from adsorbent was ۴۰ mL. The data was found to fit the Langmuir model, and the respective maximum capacities of the adsorbent for Pb۲+ and Ag+ ionswas ۱۰۰۰.۰ (±۱.۵) µg and ۱۱۱۱.۰ (±۱.۲) µg of the target species per mg of the adsorbent. The developed adsorbent was successfully applied in wastewater samples.

Magnetic Fe۳O۴, Mesoporous silica, Removal, Thiol Functionalized, Ag+, Pb۲+