Fabrication of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles Impregnated Cross-Linked Chitosan Grafted Β-Cyclodextrin for Removal of Cloxacillin from Aqueous Environment

A novel zero-valent iron nanoparticles impregnated cross-linked chitosan grafted β-cyclodextrin (Fe-CCS-g-β-CD) adsorbent was fabricated to eliminate cloxacillin from water. The characterization of Fe-CCS-g-β-CD was done using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) techniques. Response surface methodology (RSM) using Box-Behnken design (BBD) was utilized to optimize the independent variables (contact time, pH, adsorbent dose and initial cloxacillin concentration) for the adsorption of cloxacillin onto Fe-CCS-g-β-CD. The maximum removal of cloxacillin (99.93