MULTI-METAL DETOXIFICATION OF CONTAMINATED WATER USING
HYDROTHERMAL TIO₂ NANORODS: EFFICIENT PB²⁺, CR⁶⁺, AND CU²⁺
REMOVAL WITH KINETIC AND ISOTHERM ANALYSIS

Dr. M. Asisi Janifer¹
Dr. S. Mary Margaret2 

1.Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Stella Maris College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Madras University, Chennai.
2.Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Affiliated to
Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.

Abstract
The growing discharge of heavy metal–contaminated wastewater poses a serious threat to
environmental and human health, necessitating the development of efficient, eco-friendly, and
cost-effective remediation materials. Semiconductor nanostructures such as ZnO, CuO, CdS,
ZnS, iron oxides, and TiO₂ have gained significant attention for water purification
applications. Among them, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) stands out due to its large surface area,
chemical stability, non-toxicity, hydrophilic nature, low cost, and environmental compatibility.
In this study, highly active single-crystalline one-dimensional TiO₂ nanorods were synthesized
via a facile glycerol-assisted hydrothermal method and evaluated for the adsorption of toxic
heavy metal ions, namely Pb(II), Cr(VI), and Cu(II).
The synthesized TiO₂ nanorods were thoroughly characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman
spectroscopy, HR-SEM, EDAX, HR-TEM, SAED, and XPS analyses, confirming their anatase
phase, high crystallinity, rod-like morphology, and abundant surface hydroxyl groups. Batch
adsorption experiments demonstrated high removal efficiencies of 77.6% for Pb(II), 82.75%
for Cr(VI), and 86.82% for Cu(II) within 12 hours. The adsorption behavior followed both
Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, with a better fit to the Langmuir model, indicating
monolayer adsorption on a homogeneous surface. Regeneration studies revealed stable
performance over multiple cycles, highlighting the reusability of the adsorbent. Overall, the
results demonstrate that TiO₂ nanorods are promising, sustainable adsorbents for effective
heavy metal remediation in wastewater treatment applications.
Keywords: Nanorods, Hydrothermal, crystallinity