Synthesis of hybrid magnesium hydroxide/magnesium oxide nanorods [Mg(OH)/MgO] for prompt and efficient adsorption of ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions

Falyouna, O.*; Bensaida, K.*; Maamoun, I.; Ashik, U. P. M.*; Tahara, Atsushi*; Tanaka, Kazuya  ; Aoyagi, Noboru   ; Sugihara, Yuji*; Eljamal, O.*

The antibiotic ciprofloxacin is recognized as a contaminant of emerging concern because its persistent occurrence in water accelerates the growth of deadly antimicrobial resistance genes. For the first time, the conventional precipitation technique was thermally modified to produce hybrid magnesium hydroxide/magnesium oxide nanorods for efficient and rapid adsorption of CIP from water. The successful synthesis was confirmed by the outcomes of TEM, EDS, XRD, and FTIR analysis. Mg(OH)/MgO exhibited an extraordinary capability to adsorb CIP from water regardless of CIP initial concentration under neutral pH and room temperature. FTIR analysis for the spent Mg(OH)/MgO revealed that bridging complexation with carboxylic group and electrostatic attraction with the positive amine group are the responsible mechanisms for CIP adsorption by Mg(OH)/MgO. Moreover, simulated CIP-contaminated river water was efficiently treated by Mg (OH)/MgO which proves the promising performance of Mg(OH)/MgO in field scale applications.