Magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles: An efficient adsorbent for the separation and removal of nitrate and nitrite ions from environmental samples

A novel type of magnetic nanosorbent, hydroxyapatite‐coated Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles was synthesized and used for the adsorption and removal of nitrite and nitrate ions from environmental samples. The properties of synthesized magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray powder diffraction. After the adsorption process, the separation of γ‐Fe₂O₃@hydroxyapatite nanoparticles from the aqueous solution was simply achieved by applying an external magnetic field. The effects of different variables on the adsorption efficiency were studied simultaneously using an experimental design. The variables of interest were amount of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, sample volume, pH, stirring rate, adsorption time, and temperature. The experimental parameters were optimized using a Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology after a Plackett–Burman screening design. Under the optimum conditions, the adsorption efficiencies of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles adsorbents toward NO₃^? and NO₂^? ions (100 mg/L) were in the range of 93–101%. The results revealed that the magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles adsorbent could be used as a simple, efficient, and cost‐effective material for the removal of nitrate and nitrite ions from environmental water and soil samples.     

Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@ionic liquid-β-cyclodextrin polymer magnetic solid phase extraction coupled with HPLC for the separation/analysis of congo red

Fe₃O₄@ionic liquids β-cyclodextrin polymer(Fe₃O₄@mono-6-deoxy-6-(1-ethyl-imidazolium)-β-cyclodextrin iodide polymer, Fe₃O₄@ILs-β-CDCP) was prepared. Magnetic solid phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography for the separation/analysis of congo red (CR) in water and drysaltery was established. Fe₃O₄@ILs-β-CDCP showed a higher adsorption capacity toward CR. CR was adsorbed rapidly by Fe₃O₄@ILs-β-CDCP (adsorption efficiency: 95%) and eluted by ethanol (elution efficiency: 96%) at room temperature. Under the optimal conditions, preconcentration factor of the proposed method was 20-fold. The linear range, correlation coefficient (R ²), detection limit (DL) and relative standard deviation were found to be 0.005–100.00 µg mL^?1, 0.9910, 1.8 g L^?1 and 0.61% (n = 3, c = 5.00 µg mL^?1), respectively. The adsorption mechanism of CR on Fe₃O₄@ILs-β-CDCP was studied through the FTIR analysis. The accuracy of the developed method was confirmed by spiking city water, lake water, pond water and drysaltery. Fe₃O₄@ILs-β-CDCP can be used repeatedly for 10 times. This proposed method had been successfully applied to the determination of CR in real samples.     

Fe3O4-CuO-activated carbon composite as an efficient adsorbent for bromophenol blue dye removal from aqueous solutions

Dye wastewater from industries is posing tremendous health hazards. The lethal dyes can be eliminated using nanomaterials and scientific approach like adsorption which is facile, cheap, safe as well as ecofriendly. Fe₃O₄-CuO-AC composite was prepared by a hydrothermal method and used for the removal of dyes in wastewater. The composite material was characterized by various techniques such as XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM and FT-IR. The Fe₃O₄-CuO-AC composite was used to treat five types of dyes in water. Fe₃O₄-CuO-AC composite showed the highest adsorption capability for bromophenol blue (BPB) dye. The effects of initial concentration, pH, the amount of adsorbent and temperature were also studied. The optimum conditions were found to be 20 ppm dye concentration, pH 9, an adsorbent dose of 0.06 gL^─1 at 65 °C. A removal efficiency of 97% was obtained for BPB dye during 120 min of adsorption. Kinetic studies indicated that a pseudo-second order is the most suitable model for the adsorption process. The Fe₃O₄-CuO-AC composite showed better adsorption capacity as compare to Fe₃O₄-AC except for the Methyl green dye. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 88.60 mg/g for BPB. Additionally, the thermodynamic parameters (ΔS°, ΔH° and ΔG°) showed that the process was spontaneous and exothermic. All the above results revealed that the Fe₃O₄-CuO-AC compositecan be an effective adsorbent for removing dyes from wastewater.     

磁性壳聚糖/Fe3O4/氧化石墨烯吸附剂的制备及其多染料吸附性能

为了提高壳聚糖的多染料吸附性能并使其便于固液分离,采用共沉淀法制备了壳聚糖、磁铁矿纳米颗粒、氧化石墨烯复合磁性吸附剂(CS/Fe₃O₄/GO)。系统的结构表征显示,CS包覆的Fe₃O₄磁性纳米颗粒均匀地分布在GO的表面。CS/Fe₃O₄/GO具有高达42.5 emu·g-1的室温铁磁性,因此可在外加磁场中实现高效固液分离。研究表明,CS/Fe₃O₄/GO对亚甲基蓝(MB)、甲基橙(MO)和刚果红(CR)等多种染料具有良好的吸附性能,溶液的pH、初始浓度和吸附时间对其多染料吸附性能具有显著影响。在最佳条件下,CS/Fe₃O₄/GO对MB、MO和CR的吸附量分别达到210.6、258.6和308.9 mg·g-1。CS/Fe₃O₄/GO具有优异的循环利用性能,经5次循环后仍能保留90%以上的原始吸附量。采用吸附等温线和吸附动力学对...     

Poly(butyl methacrylate)-grafted alginate/Fe3O4 nanocomposite: Synthesis and its application for removal of dyes

This study involved the utilization of a free radical-graft copolymerization reaction for the development of a novel adsorbent, namely, poly(butyl methacrylate)-grafted alginate/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite (PBMA-gft-Alg/Fe₃O₄). Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction patterns analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were carried out for the characterization of Fe₃O₄ NPs and PBMA-gft-Alg/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites. The capability of nanocomposites and nanoparticles to adsorb dyes such as MG and MB, resulting in their removal from aqueous media, was evaluated under different conditions such as pH, temperature, contact time, and dose of adsorbent. Optimum parameters for adsorption of dyes were found to be pH of 10, 50°C, contact time of 180 min, and 0.2 g of adsorbent. Efficiency of the PBMA-gft-Alg/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was found to be significantly greater than that of Fe₃O₄ NPs for eliminating the desired dye. Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Temkin models were used for testing the experimental data. Freundlich model was the one that best described the adsorption.     

磁性壳聚糖/Fe3O4/氧化石墨烯吸附剂的制备及其多染料吸附性能

为了提高壳聚糖的多染料吸附性能并使其便于固液分离,采用共沉淀法制备了壳聚糖、磁铁矿纳米颗粒、氧化石墨烯复合磁性吸附剂(CS/Fe₃O₄/GO)。系统的结构表征显示,CS包覆的Fe₃O₄磁性纳米颗粒均匀地分布在GO的表面。CS/Fe₃O₄/GO具有高达42.5 emu·g^-1的室温铁磁性,因此可在外加磁场中实现高效固液分离。研究表明,CS/Fe₃O₄/GO对亚甲基蓝(MB)、甲基橙(MO)和刚果红(CR)等多种染料具有良好的吸附性能,溶液的pH、初始浓度和吸附时间对其多染料吸附性能具有显著影响。在最佳条件下,CS/Fe₃O₄/GO对MB、MO和CR的吸附量分别达到210.6、258.6和308.9 mg·g^-1。CS/Fe₃O₄/GO具有优异的循环利用性能,经5次循环后仍能保留90%以上的原始吸附量。采用吸附等温线和吸附动力学对CS/Fe₃O₄/GO的多染料吸附性能进行了拟合分析,并详细讨论了其吸附机理。     

Fe3O4@chitosan-bound boric acid composite as pH-responsive reusable adsorbent for selective recognition and capture of cis-diol-containing shikimic acid

Recently, shikimic acid (SA) has aroused great concern as the starting raw material for the synthesis of antiviral drug (Tamiflu) against the spread of influenza virus in the body. In this work, magnetic chitosan composite modified with boric acid and its application in SA recognition and separation was described. Chitosan (CT) with plenty of hydroxyl and amino groups was first coated on the surface of magnetic core Fe₃O₄, then carboxylic groups were grafted to the surface of Fe₃O₄@CT via anhydride modification, followed by the introduction of 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA). The uniform morphology and composition analysis of the adsorbent (Fe₃O₄@CT-COOH-BA) were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM and UV–visible spectroscopy. The adsorption capacity of as-prepared material was explored in detail by batch mode experiments. The adsorption kinetics fitted well with a pseudo-second order model, and the adsorption isotherms was well described by the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 23.8 mg g⁻¹ at 25 °C. Solution pH plays a crucial role in adsorption process and the optimized pH was 8.0. In addition, Fe₃O₄@CT-COOH-BA could be easily reused through an external magnet and the adsorption capacity reduced by only 4% after five adsorption–desorption cycles. These results prove that boric acid modified magnetic chitosan composite is an effective and practical adsorbent for specific recognition and selective adsorption of cis-diol-containing compounds.     

Photo-fenton refreshable Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@HCS adsorbent for the elimination of tetracycline hydrochloride

A yolk–shell-structured sphere composed of a superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ core and a carbon shell (Fe₃O₄@HCS) was etched from Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@carbon by NaOH, which was synthesized through the layer-by-layer coating of Fe₃O₄. This yolk–shell composite has a shell thickness of ca. 27 nm and a high specific surface area of 213.2 m² g^?1. Its performance for the magnetic removal of tetracycline hydrochloride from water was systematically examined. A high equilibrium adsorption capacity of ca. 49.0 mg g^?1 was determined. Moreover, the adsorbent can be regenerated within 10 min through a photo-Fenton reaction. A stable adsorption capacity of 44.3 mg g^?1 with a fluctuation <10% is preserved after 5 consecutive adsorption–degradation cycles, demonstrating its promising application potential in the decontamination of sewage water polluted by antibiotics.     

Amin-functionalized magnetic-silica core-shell nanoparticles for removal of Hg2+ from aqueous solution

Magnetic nanoparticles with monodisperse shape and size were prepared by a simple method and covered by silica. The prepared core-shell Fe₃O₄@silica nanoparticles were functionalized by amino groups and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The synthesized nanoparticles were employed as an adsorbent for removal of Hg²⁺ from aqueous solutions, and the adsorption phenomena were studied from both equilibrium and kinetic point of views. The adsorption equilibriums were analyzed using different isotherm models and correlation coefficients were determined for each isotherm. The experimental data were fitted to the Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm better than other isotherms. The adsorption kinetics was tested for the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetic models at different initial concentrations of the adsorbate. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model describes the kinetics of the adsorption process for amino functionalized adsorbents. The maximum adsorption occurred at pH 5.7 and the adsorption capacity for Fe₃O₄@silica-NH₂ toward Hg²⁺ was as high as 126.7 mg/g which was near four times more than unmodified silica adsorbent.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and magnetic properties of a new tri‐nuclear iron (II,III) complex,a precursor for the preparation of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles applicable in the removal of Cd2+

This study reports the structural and spectroscopic characterization of a novel metal organic compound formulated as [Fe (bpy)₃] [Fe (dipic)₂]₂.7H₂O ( 1 ) (dipic = pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylate and bpy = 2,2^′‐bipyridine). 1 was investigated by elemental analysis, FT‐IR spectroscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction and single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD), which revealed a triclinic structure of expected composition. Thermal degradation of 1 was also investigated. Complex 1 was used as a precursor to prepare superparamagnetic nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄ by thermal analysis. The obtained Fe₃O₄ was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were used as a nano‐adsorbent to remove Cd²⁺ from water at room temperature. The results showed that this nano‐adsorbent is effective in removing Cd²⁺ from contaminated water sources, and that the maximal effectivity of adsorption occurs at pH = 6. Magnetic measurements of complex 1 and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles at room temperature revealed paramagnetic and superparamagnetic behavior, respectively.     

Mixed phase Fe2O3/Mn3O4 magnetic nanocomposite for enhanced adsorption of methyl orange dye: Neural network modeling and response surface methodology optimization

In this research, a novel magnetic mesoporous adsorbent with mixed phase of Fe₂O₃/Mn₃O₄ nanocomposite was prepared by a facile precipitating method and characterized extensively. The prepared nanocomposite was used as adsorbent for toxic methyl orange (MO) dye removal from aqua matrix considering its high surface area (178.27 m²/g) with high saturation magnetization (23.07 emu/g). Maximum dye adsorption occurs at solution pH 2.0 and the electrostatic attraction between anionic form of MO dye molecules and the positively charged nanocomposite surface is the main driving force behind this adsorption. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for optimizing the process variables and maximum MO removal of 97.67% is obtained at optimum experimental condition with contact time, adsorbent dose and initial MO dye concentration of 45 min, 0.87 g/l and 116 mg/l, respectively. Artificial neural network (ANN) model with optimum topology of 3–5–1 was developed for predicting the MO removal (%), which has shown higher predictive ability than RSM model. Maximum adsorption capacity of this nanocomposite was found to be 322.58 mg/g from Langmuir isotherm model. Kinetic studies reveal the applicability of second‐order kinetic model with contribution of intra‐particle diffusion in this process.     

Equilibrium and kinetic study of novel methyltrimethoxysilane magnetic titanium dioxide nanocomposite for methylene blue adsorption from aqueous media

Novel magnetic titanium dioxide nanoparticles decorated with methyltrimethoxysilane (Fe₃O₄@TiO₂‐MTMOS) were successfully fabricated via a sol–gel method at room temperature. The synthesized material was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry. The removal efficiency of the adsorbent was evaluated through the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from water samples. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics were evaluated using various models. The Langmuir model indicated a high adsorption capacity (11.5 mg g^?1) of Fe₃O₄@TiO₂‐MTMOS. The nanocomposite exhibited high removal efficiency (96%) and good regeneration (10 times) compared to Fe₃O₄ and Fe₃O₄@TiO₂ at pH = 9.0. Based on the adsorption mechanism, electrostatic interaction plays a main role in adsorption since MB dye is cationic in nature at pH = 9, whereas the adsorbent acquired an anionic nature. The newly synthesized Fe₃O₄@TiO₂‐MTMOS can be used as a promising material for efficient removal of MB dye from aqueous media.     

Magnetic porous polymer microspheres: Synthesis,characterization and adsorption performance for the removal of phenol

The magnetic poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-n-vinylimidazole) (Fe₃O₄@poly (EGDMA@VIM)) microspheres were prepared by suspension polymerization method using magnetite Fe₃O₄ nano-powder and the porosity, morphology, chemical composition and structure of the magnetic polymer microspheres were characterized. The specific surface area and swelling ratio of the Fe₃O₄@poly(EGDMA@VIM) microspheres were found to be 278.6?m²·g^–1 and 48%, respectively. The Fe₃O₄@poly(EGDMA@VIM) microspheres were used as an adsorbent for phenol removal. The effects of the parameters such as adsorbent dosage, temperature, pH and initial concentration of phenol solutions on the adsorption were investigated. The experimental adsorption equilibrium data obtained were fitted with Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms and the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra–particle diffusion kinetic models. The adsorption equilibrium data agreed well with the Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum capacity of the Fe₃O₄@poly(EGDMA@VIM) microspheres was calculated to be 33.83?mg·g^–1 at 298?K and natural pH from Langmuir isotherm. The Fe₃O₄@poly(EGDMA@VIM) microspheres were found to be reusable for removal of phenol after desorption for several times. The result indicated that the Fe₃O₄@poly(EGDMA@VIM) microspheres are potential candidate for removal of phenol in wastewaters.     

Removal of Arsenic (III) from natural contaminated water using magnetic nanocomposite: kinetics and isotherm studies

The application of newly synthesized Fe₃O₄/TiO₂–SiO₂ that is modified with zinc (FTSZ) as a sorbent, for the removal of arsenic from contaminated water has been investigated in the present study. SEM, FTIR, XRD, BET, Zeta potential sizer (ξ) analyses are used to determine the sorbent characterization. The effect of the operational parameters such as initial pH, initial concentration, and the contact time were studied. In addition, the equilibrium behavior of FTSZ in As(III) removal was investigated in the temperature range of 20–40 °C. The results showed that the equilibrium data were fitted well with Langmuir than Freundlich isotherm model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity estimated by Langmuir isotherm was 24.010 mg g^?1. Thermodynamic parameters, ?H°, ?S° and ?G° were also calculated from graphical interpretation of the experimental data. Standard heats of sorption (?H°) were found to be endothermic and ?S° values were calculated to be positive for the sorption of As(III) onto the adsorbent.     

Study of Fe-doped V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalyst for an enhanced NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>-SCR in diesel exhaust aftertreatment

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with ammonia has been considered as the most promising technology, as its effect deals with the NO_X. Novel Fe-doped V₂O₅/TiO₂ catalysts were prepared by sol–gel and impregnation methods. The effects of iron content and reaction temperature on the catalyst SCR reaction activity were explored by a test device, the results of which revealed that catalysts could exhibit the best catalytic activity when the iron mass ratio was 0.05%. It further proved that the VTiFe (0.05%) catalyst performed the best in denitration and its NO_X conversion reached 99.5% at 270 °C. The outcome of experimental procedures: Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction and adsorption (H₂-TPR, NH₃-TPD) techniques showed that the iron existed in the form of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ and the superior catalytic performance was attributed to the highly dispersed active species, lots of surface acid sites and absorbed oxygen. The modified Fe-doped catalysts do not only have terrific SCR activities, but also a rather broad range of active temperature which also enhances the resistance to SO₂ and H₂O.     

Rapid removal of anionic organic dye from contaminated water using a poly(3-aminobenzoic acid/graphene oxide/cobalt ferrite) nanocomposite low-cost adsorbent via adsorption techniques

This research study aims to remove hazardous anionic azo dyes (Congo red (CR)) from aqueous solutions via a simple adsorption method using a poly(3-aminobenzoic acid/graphene oxide/cobalt ferrite) nanocomposite (P3ABA/GO/CoFe₂O₄) as a novel and low-cost nanoadsorbent, as synthesized by a simple and straightforward polymerization method. Typically, 3-aminobenzoic acid (3ABA), as monomer, was chemically polymerized with graphene oxide (GO) and cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) in an aqueous acidic medium containing an ammonium persulfate initiator. The adsorbent P3ABA/GO/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposite was characterized using various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive analysis by X-ray and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, vibrating sample magnetometer, and zeta potential techniques. These techniques confirmed the interaction between the poly(3-aminobenzoic acid) with GO and CoFe₂O₄ due to the presence of π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic forces. Herein, the removal efficiency of dye from aqueous solution by the adsorbent was studied according to several parameters such as the pH of the solution, dye concentration, dosage of adsorbent, contact time, and temperature. The adsorption of the dye was fitted using a Langmuir model (R² between 0.9980 and 0.9995) at different temperatures, and a kinetic model that was pseudo-second order (R² = between 0.9993 and 0.9929) at various initial concentrations of CR dye. In addition, the data revealed that the P3ABA/GO/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposite exhibited a high adsorption capacity (153.92 mg/g) and removal for CR dye (98 %) at pH 5. Thermodynamic results showed the adsorption process was an endothermic and spontaneous reaction. It was found that, in terms of reusability, the P3ABA/GO/CoFe₂O₄ adsorbent can be used for up to six cycles. In this study, P3ABA/GO/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposites were found to be low cost, and have an excellent removal capability and fast adsorption rate for CR from wastewater via a simple adsorption method. Moreover, this adsorbent nanocomposite could be simply separated from the resultant solution and recycled.     

Silver modified magnetic carbon nanotubes composite as a selective solid phase extractor for preconcentration and determination of trace mercury ions in water solution

A magnetic composite of silver/iron oxides/carbon nanotubes (Ag/Fe₃O₄/CNTs) was synthesized and used as an adsorbent for the preconcentration of mercury ions in water solutions at room temperature (25°C) in this study. The silver nanoparticles were supported on the magnetic CNTs. The modification enabled the composite had not only a high adsorption capacity for mercury ions (Hg²⁺) but also the magnetic isolation properties. A fast, sensitive, and simple method was successfully developed for the preconcentration and determination of trace amount of Hg²⁺ in water using the synthesized nanocomposite as adsorbent. The mercury concentration was determined by an atomic fluorescence spectrometer (AFS). The experimental conditions such as pH value, extraction temperature, extraction time, sample volume, eluent composition and concentration, sorbent amount, and coexisting ions were investigated for the optimization. A 500 mL of sample volume resulted in a preconcentration factor of 125. When a 200 mL of sample was employed, the limit of detection for Hg²⁺ was as low as 0.03 ng mL^?1with relative standard deviation of 4.4% at 0.1 ng mL^?1 (n = 7). The ease of synthesis and separation, the good adsorption capacity, and the satisfactory recovery will possibly make the composite an attractive adsorbent for the preconcentration of ultratrace Hg²⁺ in waters.     

Studies on a New Material for Hydrogen Storage and Supply by Modified Fe and Fe2O3 Powder

Modified iron oxide, a new material for hydrogen storage and supply to polymer electrolyte fuel cell （PEFC）, was prepared by impregnating Fe or Fe2O3 powder with an aqueous solution containing metal cation additives （Al, Cr, Ni, Co, Zr and Mo）. Hydrogen storage properties of the samples were investigated. The results show that both Fe and Fe2O3 powder with additive Mo presented excellent catalytic activity and cyclic stability, and their hydrogen producing temperature could be surprisingly decreased. The temperature of forming hydrogen for the Fe2O3-Mo at the rate of 250 μmol·min^-1·Fe-g^-1 could be dramatically decreased from 527 ℃ before addition of Mo to 283 ℃ after addition of Mo in the fourth cycle. The cause for it was probably related to preventing the sinter of the sample particles. In addition, hydrogen storage capacity of the Fe2O3-Mo can reach w=4.5% （72 kg H2/m^3）, close to International Energy Agency （IEA） criterion. These show the value of practical application of the Fe2O3-Mo as the promising hydrogen storage material.     

Thiol-functionalized Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> microspheres with superparamagnetism and their adsorption properties for Au(III) ion separation

Thiol-functionalized Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ microspheres (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH) with high saturation magnetization (69.3 emu g^–1), superparamagnetism, and good dispersibility have been prepared by an ethylene glycol reduction method in combination with a modified Stöber method. The as-prepared composite magnetic spheres are characterized with fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), zeta potential, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and superconducting quantum interference magnetometer, and tested in separation of Au(III) ions from aqueous solutions. The data for Au(III) adsorption on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH are analyzed with the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models, and the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion kinetics models. The adsorption behaviors of Au(III) on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH follow the Langmuir isotherm model, and the adsorption process conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity of Au(III) on Fe₃O₄/SiO₂-SH is 43.7 mg g^–1. Acetate anions play an important role yet Cu(II) ions have little interference in the adsorption of Au(III) on the adsorbent. A satisfactory recovery percentage of 89.5% is acquired by using an eluent with 1 M thiourea and 5% HCl, although thiols have a high affinity to Au(III) ions based on the hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory by Pearson.