Removal of Tetracycline From Wastewater Using Magnetic Metal–Organic Frameworks: Performance and Mechanism

ABSTRACT In this work, a Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @UiO‐66 (FSU) composite with a core–shell architecture was prepared through a microwave‐assisted hydrothermal route for tetracycline (TC) elimination from water. A series of batch adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and initial TC concentration on removal efficiency. The findings showed that TC adsorption onto the FSU composite is well described by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo‐second‐order (PSO) kinetic models, indicating that monolayer adsorption and chemisorption dominate the process. Thermodynamic evaluation revealed that TC adsorption onto the 0.2‐FSU composite proceeds spontaneously and is endothermic. Owing to its magnetic characteristics, the spent adsorbent could be rapidly separated using an external magnetic field. Furthermore, the composite retained more than 70% of its initial adsorption capacity after five successive regeneration cycles, highlighting its durability and promising potential for treating antibiotic‐contaminated wastewater.