Water contamination with toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) poses serious risks to human health, plants, and ecosystems, making their effective removal a global challenge. Conventional treatment methods often exhibit limited efficiency; therefore, nanotechnology-based approaches are increasingly being explored. In this study, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) incorporated into polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticless were synthesized via electrospinning, a simple and cost-effective technique that eliminates the need for harmful chemical reagents. The nanocomposite was characterized using SEM, TEM, EDX, UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR, and TGA analyses. The results demonstrated uniform nanoparticles morphology with an average diameter of 200–250 nm and a crystallite size of approximately 27 nm, confirming good structural stability with a bandgap energy of 3.20 eV. Batch adsorption experiments revealed that the maximum removal efficiency of Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions was achieved at pH 6.2, with equilibrium attained within 60 minutes. Removal capacity increased with extended contact time and enhanced agitation. These findings indicate that TiO2/PLA nanoparticles are a promising and efficient adsorbent for the remediation of heavy metal–contaminated water.
Hantehzadeh et al. (Tue,) studied this question.